For Day 10 of NaPoWriMo, I worked within the structure inspired by Geoffrey Brock’s poem “Goodbye,” using three short stanzas as a container for grief. The middle stanza centers on a repeated question—each answer shifting slightly, revealing different facets of loss, survival, and memory. I leaned into autumn imagery and the burn of whiskey as grounding elements, exploring how grief lingers, asks questions, and refuses easy resolution.
What the Wind Leaves Behind
Autumn leans against the porch,
wind dragging its fingers through the dead leaves.
A glass of whiskey burns slow in my hand—
the only thing that still answers when I call.
Everything I loved has gone quiet.
Why am I still here?
Because the wind hasn’t finished with you.
Why am I still here?
Because the glass is not yet empty.
Why am I still here?
Because someone has to remember their names.
Why am I still here?
Because grief, like whiskey, asks to be swallowed.
The night comes earlier now.
The trees let go without apology.
I sit with the bite of it—
amber fire, autumn air—
and measure my life
in what remains.
If you enjoyed this poem about autumn, and whiskey, you may also find a kindred rhythm in my book, Whiskey and the Autumn Wind.
Whiskey and the Autumn Wind is a collection rooted in the same season you’ve just stepped into—where the air turns sharp, the light grows softer, and everything begins to let go. These poems carry the weight of memory, the burn of reflection, and the slow, steady acceptance that comes with change. There’s a glass on the table, leaves at your feet, and a voice that doesn’t rush—only lingers where it matters.
If you’re drawn to poetry that feels lived-in…
to quiet moments that echo long after the page…
to the kind of writing that sits with you like a late autumn evening—
then this collection is waiting for you.
You can find it here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble
If you want to explore more voices answering today’s prompt. Step beyond this page and into the wider current of #NaPoWriMo—where each voice bends the world in its own way. You can find them here: https://napowrimo.net/
—Or view the list of social media hashtags below.
X: #NaPoWriMo
I love the way you set the scene, Richard, with personification, and linked everything in the opening stanza to the questions. The ending is stunning. The ‘bite of it’, the ‘amber fire, autumn air’, and the thought of measuring what remains of life. I did something similar at the end of my poem.
Thank you so much.