September's Apples

September’s Apples
By Frank Daub

September apples rest in the cellar,
barely in the light,
	mellow,
	 turning cider
beneath their shining skins like cinnamon wine.

I bite one –
	 juice bubbles out
	to the edges of my mouth.
There is sweetness first.
Then at once the tart September taste and
	the white circle roughly broken from
	the red round.

How long, I wonder, before the white darkens.
	 The white goes nut colored
	before
I can finish peeling the red entirety --
	Or
	after I’ve taken the first bite.

What is it that makes us put apples in the cellar?
	To keep them Autumn-like, extending the
	crispness of a season bringing harvest?

This, or it does something to their flavor that the sun can’t finish.

I try to remember how the apples tasted when the old man and I pulled them
from the tree.

They were cold.
A little less mellow.

They are sweeter now.
Being buried was good for them. Buried in the deep cool of this cellar,
	away from the sun.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

Poem

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Lyubishkin Avatar
August 26, 2026 at 1:47 AM
A wonderfully sensory poem about apples, autumn, memory, and time. The cellar becomes more than a place—it feels like a quiet space where things deepen, sweeten, and change away from the sun. The final thought, that being “buried” was good for them, is especially poignant. Beautifully reflective. 🍎🍂
Get a Premium Membership
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace