soon there will be leaves
growing everywhere
hiding the desperate beauty
of these raw emotions
the crisscrossing chaos
the aching naked
vulnerability
of exposing more
of themselves
during the coldest months
I feel alive
when I walk
amongst them
they speak to me
they speak for me
outwardly I will
enjoy the leaves
but inside I will be
waiting for them to fall

dust, wood
the ground grows soft there
a sheet of pine needles
footprints etched into
the chestnut hues of autumnal life
softly the air gives way to raindrops
feeding the trees,
their steeples covering
creatures who wander their corridor
merging into the tarmac
stippled with pebbles
and freckles of water and fire

they all turned their faces away
bore flares
of sleeping suns
sails billowing
unfurling stems
heavy with blood orange petals
carpeted burgundy
twigs
cracked stone
acorns
riverbank of leaves
flaxen deeply
covered in willow hair
tidal river’s race
idyll