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Dried and crispy coats the lawn
Bright or dull it matters none.
Crying out their silent protest
Against this quick and second death.

And yet their friends keep coming
Dropping in, joining the parade,
“Wait don’t start without us”
Not knowing they’ve been betrayed.

Hiding in weeds or fleeing with the wind
They resist their fate in quiet desperation,
But the mower knows no empathy.
Inevitably they face their final destiny.
Falling autumn leaves given personality like lemmings running to the cliff.  Nothing deep and symbolic here.  Just a stab at humor.
It was Tuesday when I awoke, a cool 73 degrees.

It did not feel like summer.. only a temporary cold that stung when every other day has been arid as the desert.

The leaves showed the tiniest difference in color, a bit more yellow, scattered orange in a forest of vibrant green. And the smell of the bark was not as pleasant as it once was

When I grazed my hand on the black driveway while playing with my dear brother, my hand did not burn but instead it got scratched.

The water in the pond was just a bit colder, and the tides of the water were still. There was no breeze or moving force that usually created such intricate ripples.

It was beauty that had faded.

No one else really noticed it but I did. The sky was perfectly free of clouds but still the sun did not shine just as bright.

Smiles of the people on the sidewalk had gone, replaced by a stern expression that meant business. No one walked, it was now speed walking.

I touched the wrinkles on my hands, circled the ridges ingrained within my fingertips,

I felt the brown hairs on my arms and legs, how light they felt to the touch.

I gently poked my face and circled my eyes, breathing deeply for no reason other than chasing a feeling.

I remembered I had a routine and continued what little work needed to be done until day’s end.

Why did I feel today wasn’t real?

The next day, it was hot as ever, a burning 88 degrees, perfect for the pool. The smiles returned, and the brightness of the sun, and smell of the trees. I could not spot a single leaf of yellow or orange.

Then, I moved on with my day and forgot about my eyes, my skin, my hair and my face.

Like nothing ever happened.

Maybe nothing did happen, and I am overreacting.
9/3/25
mysterie Aug 25
i sat in the forest --
picking up leaves
and ripping them
in different ways,
different shapes
because everyone is different.

and they all break differently.

i picked a once green leaf
that was staring to brown
on the edges.

i ripped it
and it didn't break
slowly
like the others.

it just fell apart
in my hands.

but it made me look up at the
sunbeams
slipping between
the tall forest trees.

realising,
not everyone breaks slowly.

some people crumble and fall apart
all at once.

and that's okay.
date wrote: 18/8
noumena Aug 25
i ultimately have decided to only make some very small tweaks to this just so it flows better. after reading and staring at this piece for  longer than i should have, i think it doesn't matter if i entirely missed the point i was trying to make. i think i got my feelings out and its okay that its a bit messy.

i sat in the forest --
picking up leaves
and ripping them
in different ways,
different shapes
because everyone is different.

and they all break differently.

i picked a once green leaf
that was staring to brown
on the edges.

i ripped it
and it didn't break
slowly
like the others.

it just fell apart
in my hands.

but it made me look up at the
sunbeams
slipping between
the tall forest trees.

realising,
not everyone breaks slowly.

some people crumble and fall apart
all at once.

and that's okay.

i think its okay to let your feelings out however you need. and thats a big thing of mine. letting our feelings out. i believe its something we should all encourage and do. we all crumble differently and you shouldn't be told to hide your true emotions. i reckon my thought process with this was all over the place, though the outcome ended up being better, even if i eventually decided to leave most of it as it was.
i now realise the value that this piece holds because i felt as though i was extremely vulnerable with it. im glad i didnt change much.
chelsea cj Aug 15
In the golden realm of autumn's embrace,
Where nature's palette paints with fiery grace,
Falling leaves dance upon the whispering breeze,
A wistful serenade among the trees.

With each gentle descent, a beauty untold,
Their vibrant hues, a story unfold,
From fiery reds to hues of amber and gold,
A masterpiece in nature's hands we behold.

They flutter and twirl, a delicate ballet,
A symphony of colors in their grand display,
As they bid farewell to their branches high,
With grace and elegance, they softly fly.

In their descent, like dreams released,
They carry whispers of secrets, deceased,
As they land upon the earth's waiting floor,
They invite us to ponder, cherish and adore.

Each fallen leaf holds tales of what has been,
Of summers kissed by sunshine and serene,
Of whispered promises and forgotten dreams,
Of love found and love lost in endless streams.

Yet, amidst their beauty, there lies a touch of sorrow,
For their grandeur shall fade, come the cold morrow,
But as the leaves drift from their lofty heights,
They teach us acceptance; they teach us delights.

For in their graceful fall, we find solace anew,
A reminder of life's cycles, constantly askew,
And as we witness their dance in the autumn air,
We are reminded that change is both bitter and fair.

So, let us marvel at the falling leaves so grand,
Hold their fleeting beauty in the palm of our hand,
For in their descent, they carry the essence of time,
And in their whispering rustle, a poet's sublime.
Yuzuko Jul 5
Mixing pink and white
Blossoms a tree of wonder
Leaves sway in the breeze
Watch with wonder
Bekah Halle May 11
Repeatedly, I have gathered you.
And yet you still fall, **** leaves, you're like a floating fault!
Killing me softly with your incessant grin;
Endlessly gloating: "I've got more where they've come from!"
Declares MN as she blows her windy, willowy waves of air through the trees; nice breeze but...






"Come on, give me a break!" I shriek.
Looking back over old poems, I noticed one: "Afternoons on the back deck (https://hellopoetry.com/poem/4862646/afternoons-on-the-back-deck/) " and thought, "No time for whiskey when I have to rake!" Ha! MN = Mother Nature
Sanama Mar 29
Are we not like leaves?
We grow, we watch, we change,
Aging beside those we cherish,
Until, at last, we fall—
And new ones take our place.
Are we not like leaves? We grow as they do, aging in ways that become more noticeable over time. We share our days with others in our season until, eventually, we fall. And then, a new generation takes our place.
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