Fall�s Dénouement

A short story.

Fall made an early debut this year due to the severe drought of the southeastern USA.  Trees began to lose their leaves early in order to conserve energy to survive.  The result was a glorious array of vivid color as the trees began to take off their clothes, piece by piece, and drop them ever so gently to the ground.  The lawn became blanketed by colors like those of semi-precious jewels – garnet, smoky topaz, and brilliant gold citrine.  The Poplar tree released its seeds which floated through the air like tiny brown angels along with its cat face shaped leaves.  The Oak tree offered up leaves of shades of russet to garnet, as the squirrels scampered through them for any acorns to be stashed for latter consumption.  The majestic Magnolia tree kept her big, shiny green leaves, but dropped her newborn red-seeded pods to add even more color to the scenery.  And the Silver Maple shed its clothes in varying hues of brilliant gold citrine – it was such a beautiful site to behold, several passersby stopped to take its photograph.

 

Now that the trees are almost bare, winter will soon be here.  Yet the trees stand tall, majestic, and naked – as embolden exhibitionists, waiting for a gentle winter snow to cover them softly and gently for awhile, much like a goose down coat.  As they wait for the first snowfall, they appear as silhouettes against the color of the skies of Fall – alternating shades of violet, blue, rose, and golden yellow.  Each color bestows upon the silhouettes different characteristics and accents. 

 

Even the air I breathe has taken on a new crisp, earthy smell and I inhale this fragrance deeply, as though smelling the sweetest of roses.  The sunshine is brighter, yet cooler and the moon is clearly outlined like a huge snowball in the night sky. Early in the morn before the sun rises, the Eastern Stars illuminates the sky like a lighthouse light and beckons me to enjoy this most lovely and peaceful time. The short days are comfortably warm and the long nights are above freezing cold.

 

Fall’s dénouement is very near – only ten more days until the first day of Winter and its bitter, bleak cold.  I am blessed to live in an area that reveals all of God’s seasons and their individual beauty; but I must confess I am partial to Spring and Fall.   Summer can sometimes be too hot and humid, yet tolerable, but I hate getting out of bed on those freezing cold Winter days! 

 

Au revoir, mon cherie, until next year ….

 

TD J   12.13.2007

 

Reviews

[Sam Freeland]

So happy to see this again after the recent (cleansing). You give glorious life
to the nature you see. We all see nature, and too often take for granted that
we will see it tomorrow, after we finish meaningless tasks today. Your words
give nature the respect it deserves, and we can now see nature properly in our
mind's eye whenever and wherever we are, now that you have written.