Autumn Evening

The Merman's Children, Book Two, I.

Autumn approaches:

some leaves are a paler green;

others are brown, red or gold;

the sky is wan;

geese cry;

when the sun sets, the cool breeze becomes chill;

many villagers idle at home.

(Three senses.)

This description sets the scene for a conversation between a parish priest and a merman. Until we added "merman," the scene was entirely natural.

There is one other detail which is not a natural phenomenon but a human response. The cries of the geese awaken:

"...wordless longings..." (p. 119)

People see and hear birds flying through the darkening sky towards the horizon. They aspire to transcendence.