Autumn Revelations Poem by Michele C. Messina Long

In my youth I only saw one face of Autumn,
During those loudest moments in the midst of transformation.
Her leaves had already changed to reflect her glory.
That’s when I noticed. That’s who I knew her to be.

Passing years have heightened my vision.
I see events in clearer lights and greater appreciation.
This year Autumn came a moment sooner,
And lingered a little longer.

Cooler days revealed her silent presence long before the onset of her change.
Slowly she unveiled herself while I stood in awe watching
Brilliant arrays of impressionist hues unfolding
Between bleak, gray clouds of the blue melancholy heaven.

The juices of life drain from her veins,
As amidst her vibrant blush, a multitude of tarnished tones emerge.
No longer life’s lively collaborator,
Hopelessly she surrenders to listless landscape.

With the approach of yet another day, I kept my solemn vigil,
Witnessing still more sorry signs of her mortality.
In whispered vibrations, she expressed the essence of her fate,
Holding on with all her energy to each remaining leaf.

Tonight’s indifferent evening ushers in an unsympathetic, bitter wind.
With one great gust, her remains are laid to rest.
In a final nurturing gesture she falls upon Earth’s hardened bed,
Creating a blanket for Winter’s nourishment.

Autumn’s spirit sleeps now, a babe in the womb,
Gathering fresh fuel for the next nine months.
When the world is ready for her to flourish once more,
She will reawaken to a new symphony of her life.