“Autumn’s Arrival”
Elegant branches of great trees
Wise grandmasters enlightening
Youthful pupils
Leaves
fluttering
twirling
to the damp ground
butterflies,
graceful landing
soft whispers
a new layer to a colorful carpet.
Gentle sun
through overhead leaves
a glow radiating
scarlets and golds and honeys and ambers
illuminating
a warm luminescence.
Sunlight filtered
Through the awning of leaves
dappled incandescence.
Thick leafy canopy
pools of shadow
just enough to the imagination.
Damp
earthy aroma
rose up from the ground
into the air.
Acorns and nuts
hit the ground
squirrels and chipmunks scrambling
Blue Jays and finches
eager to help
bushes struggling under the weight
Of plentiful red winter-berries
Mushrooms
their pale
bulbous heads
peeking out
from the array of fallen leaves.
The sharp air
poignantly sweet
tingling
a clear crispness
Autumn had crept upon the world quietly
shy hints
the falling of a leaf,
the moments of faint darkness
before the sun peeked over the horizon,
the unfamiliar bite of cold
in the early mornings –
but the line was still blurred.
Bright, bold sun
humid afternoons
undeniable green of the trees,
Was it still summer?
But suddenly after
an unusually chilly night
pitter-pattering of rain on glass
resonant rumbling of thunder
whooshing of wind on the window pane
warm layers of blankets and soft pillows
Trees had gone from emerald to ruby
hues seeping together
a watercolour amber.
Only, “watercolour” was not the correct word.
gone was the haziness of late summer
the features of the land had defined distinctly
blurred edges sharpened
a crystal clarity.
The remnants from the night’s storm
glazed the world
a glassy glimmer
the uniquely fresh after-rain scent
filled the air
Autumn had revealed herself
with a grand glamour
casting her spell overnight
dusting every leaf
every stem
every root
with a sparkling crispness.