Imagination

A muddy toad 'ribbits,'   before leaping away - to which I ponder, if fairy tales were true, who's 'Prince Charming.' would you be? I smile, in the quiet pond's reflection. I can see fading green leaves falling, as petals wilt from red to rust. Soft gold sunbeams caress ripples, like little Autumnal whispers from nature's story of seasonal growth. Bare branches reach for the sky, full of empty nests and bird feeders. Lost in thought... I wonder who knows their secrets and where does the queen bee hibernate... Colours of time nonchalantly drift by, as daylight fades into clementine hues. I bid kaleidoscopic Koi goodbye, who pop to the surface with their 'gaping' motions, hoping for food. Chill winds weave into indigo air, floating through misty meadows - crow caws can be heard from a distance. Sky slowly forms sparkling spotlights in a clear black backdrop, where the whole of the moon is visible. The toad returns, now clean and shimmering, but still no crown upon his slimy head. We both sit and gaze in silence, as stars shape into different forms. I connect them like dots, so many patterns appear - a dove, an angel, a face. "Hey prince of toads can you see the unicorn?" I ask, before a flash of light bursts like a firework, but all I get in return is a "ribbit." Maybe he agreed, maybe he laughed, maybe it was a profound message - but we shared an air of magic that night.