A different season opens the door,
Nature is stripped of its glamour and radiance.
Sadness sings the songs of the day,
Melancholy paints the portrait.
The foliage of farewell falls to the ground,
Telling a story of a fall from glory.
A rhythm of gloom pervades the atmosphere;
They are swept into the abyss beneath.
Farewell heralds a journey to the beyond.
Feeble leaves dance to the rhythm of the night,
They travel toward the unseen light.
The sacred texts reveal fragments of an ancient mystery.
O fall, let this lore of love be the last entanglement.
Let my soul be free from the haunting and encroaching memories.
O redemption, guide me to the path that leads to your door,
For in the deadness of my body, your light will lead me to the eternal portal of glory.
September 22, 2026.
O fall, let this lore of love be the last...
as your tight, chaotic grip holds me hostage.
Don't count against me my downfalls,
but the endeavors that have stitched the fabric of my days.
Still, this mask of anguish shapes its heavy cry,
wrapped tightly against the core of myself—
absent of mercy, mocking that pure moment in time
that allows us mortals to be human.
Yet, neither dusk nor dawn can delude me.
They try to imprison me, and hate may fill me with sorrow,
but the flame carried within shall never be dismissed—
a hunger not easily satisfied, refusing to die.
Discarded, a silent alchemy works in the dark.
I am the fire the shadows could not smother;
I turn the leaf, rewriting every page,
rising far above the ashes of my pain.
Last standing—strong,
amidst the dust and foliage of farewell!
Autumn breathes softly through the waking trees,
and amber leaves go dancing with the breeze;
the summer sun grows gentler in the sky,
while swallows stitch their pathways as they fly.
The maples blush as though they’ve heard good news,
the golden fields put on their autumn shoes;
a crimson leaf comes tumbling past my door,
as if the wind has brought a gift from shore.
The mornings wear a silver, misty shawl,
and twilight comes a little soon to call;
the moon appears more intimate and near,
and stars seem brighter in the cooling air.
Yet Autumn's breath is not a breath of grief—
it teaches beauty hidden in release;
for every leaf that falls without regret
whispers, “Let go—and find your wonder yet.”
The sad foliage of farewell each year
makes Summer's glory fade away too soon-
and letting go acknowledges the fear
of losing those young verdant leaves of June.
So blessed are Summer scenes that last full term-
complete their fullness by the start of Fall.
But often nature fails to reconfirm
next season's entry includes one and all.
And yes, dear Mom, your Summer went too fast,
without a chance to complete Autumn's scene.
At fifty-five, that Summer was your last;
you left us on September-day fifteen.
I live each season with the thought of you
beneath the leaves of Fall and Winter snow.
But come September, realize it's true;
you rest in peace of your last Summer's glow.
"As the leaf of life sleeps upon my lips,"
I will see the "foliage of farewell."
"When the soul-stars dream and die,"
I see red leaves covering the fall trees.
"O fall, let this lore of love be the last,"
for I now see "I am the Eyes of Time."
The green leaves must change colors for the fall,
but "neither dusk nor dawn can delude me."
Nature covered with green foliage
Spreading across forests and islands
Marked as Phyto lineage
Swaying, blooming...all pain it withstands!
Soft green wing,
Finger-tip retreat,
Leaves fold tight.
Negotiating winds and raging rains
Occasional threats of nasty weather
Vigilance is the order of the day
Ensuring readiness in any foul weather conditions
My love for fall outshines the negatives
Beautiful waltz of falling leaves
Everyone in awe of the colourful foliage
Romantic autumn walks with you
AP: 3rd place 2025
Autumn offered its gilded best
She needed to capture every last sunray
Our budding artist at work
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
I spent October inside, until fall had fled
Stresses proliferated, and a hospital bed
I missed the foliage on the Adirondacks high
Yellow, orange and red against the blue sky
I remembered where I had seen colors before
Just 40 miles from my cottage door.
An old Dutch Church, built in 1697
And the graveyard behind, a waystation to heaven.
I made my way south and walked up the hill
Between mausoleums were trees and the color would spill
copper and red and orange and gold.
I let it sink in, and peace took hold.
A stone path opened up a Hudson River scene
I was the only one there, it felt so serene
Then a cloud drifted west, colors lost hue
Like a muted repainting of that grave-framed view.
I've seen death before, and one thing I knew
The saddest words in life were "nothing more we can do"
I wondered if those words were sometimes incorrect
and I thought just coming for colors might show disrespect.
But many come to see the place, most for history
to see the resting place of Irving, Celtic cross of Carnegie.
And we all join the ranks; we all pay life's cost.
There's no going back, once the river is crossed.
precious sunrays gliding on an autumn breeze
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Dance unchained with the breeze
Auburn reds of free falling autumn leaves
Crisp whirls of whimsical delight
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: 1st place 2025
sunshine on warm september mornings
autumn eases in quiet and on tiptoes
love in many splendoured colours
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: 3rd place 2025
autumn colours fill my eyes
leaves' transient beauty before their inevitable demise
goodbye ~ no regret or drama
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
winds sweep the earth clean,
leaves come together, and stay ~
feeding future blooms?
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