This December all the trees were bare
but for a chestnut that I passed
It still retained a small retinue of leaves
all sickly green
as if they refused to accept that the season
had changed

It reminded me of us
of our society
believing that summer
is eternal
clinging onto the idea
of unchanging fortitude
like those chestnut leaves
desperately holding onto chlorofyll
refusing to let go
to fall
even though the summer is long gone
the autumn also passed
and winter is not coming
it’s already here
but we refuse to see it
out of fear

Fear of falling
of losing what once was
keeps us hanging
like isolated leaves
afraid to even touch
the contours of our neighbour
cause that might prove the final push
that makes us lose our grip

We scream defiance
to the darkening of the light
don’t take away our branches
don’t plunge us into night
we are not part of nature
submission not our style
we’d do everything to
hold on
stay
remain
forgetting that
staying put is death
and letting go is life

Another leaf falls
the rest cry out
fear
rippling through a thinning canopy
fear
i am alone
fear
this is the truth
fear
that is the truth
fear
what is the truth
fear
is there a truth
stay put
hold on
we can still rewind
remake our summer
insist on summer
control the summer
control it all
refuse
The Fall

Yet we are part of nature
and nature has to change
and sometimes
like right now
that change is overdue
and change is hard
when you self-identify as a
leaf

oof
yes
exactly
yet isn’t it a wonder
that leaves
are at their most beautiful
just before they fall

when that old chlorofyll
the sustenance that was
the trappings of a system
broken and undone
is given up with love
and our true colours shine

and we say yes
to everything
the good
the bad
the ugly
the pure wonder of things
and we allow
the leaf to drop
not with a whimper
not with a bang
but with a sigh
of relief

No need to hold on so tight
dear one

Join us
in the colourful symphony
of letting go

and then
the leaves are gone
all turned to mulch
bleak winter sun above
but to our surprise
in the stillness of our hearts
we are still here
how can that be

and then it dawns
a simple thought
we are the tree

And as a tree
we know full well
that seasons change
and ebb and flow
and though our bark
is harrowed by the frost
we carry deep within our core
the dreaming of
our future leaves

come spring

so
what will we create
with our roots deep in the ground
with our branches held high
with our newborn leaves stretching
thirsty and curious
towards the shimmering corona of the sun
oh oh
oh