I wonder what it means by a ‘thin swimming horse’. My first thought is a starving horse being forced to swim across a river for survival, but that really doesn’t fit the feel of the poem. My best guess is that it references a different animal. Though, with my sullen lack of animal knowledge, I honestly have no idea what it could be. Though, it does kinda have a spin of Situational irony when it says ‘A man with cancer leaves his wife for his lover’. Don’t really know what this has to do with Autumn, but ok. Also, her hand placing silver buckles in silver’ seems unnecessarily repetitive, but that’s just me. My best guess is that this poem isn’t really about autumn but about a dying guy ditching his wife for someone who’s more fun in bed, leaving her behind, and calling whatever he’s doing pleasure. Also, I feel like there are hints of an abusive relationship in there like when they talk about the belts and the buckles, especially with her calling the face that she’s doing this ‘pleasure’. Like she’s happy to see him go. Though, this could just be my mind making stuff up.