Fall Leaves

Today I made up this place in my mind.


The reds of fall are so varied, it seems they can't all actually be called red. There are hues of orange and yellow speckled here and there among the fiery bright red and the deep wine red scattered across the garden path.

Standing at its head, the path appears to wander aimlessly away. First it angles to the right and bends around a large tree. On the other side of the tree, the path widens to accommodate a stone bench. This time of year, that bench holds the cold of each night throughout the day. Around its feet leaves are piled up, dropped by the ancient tree and stacked by the wind. The path continues on, moving to the left now, away from the tree and disappearing behind a small hill.

There are many trees here besides the ancient one standing in the path, and they all add to the preponderance of red on the garden floor. It's late in the season, the trees are grasping at their last few leaves and their spindly limbs mourn the loss of their warm layer. A few birds rest in the trees, watching as the sun sets. Coming up behind the setting sun are storm clouds. Dark blue-black, they already contain thunder and lightning and soon they'll drown this garden with much needed rain.

It's time to leave the leaf carpet, the empty trees, and the chilled stone, and come back to this garden another day.


-Kat