fall

i watch the irony of it all,
as my favorite season mirrors the emotions inside.
tonight,
i needed more than enough breaths of fresh air
to make it from the front door to the car,
so i took a walk.
in so doing, i happened upon a wooden man,
his many thin arms this way and that,
his coloring quite gone, but for a few red & orange leaves.
though i didn't stay and chat,
i'll admit i took a second glance at him,
and inside i felt a part of those unseen leaves
which, by now, had disappeared from view.
falling are the emotions that tangle inside me,
like a plate of limp spaghetti noodles.
my vigor and valor have ceased to lead
at the foremost of battle lines.
and as the old man's fingers fall,
they foreshadow the dawning of winter,
but
my certain hope
is that winter will break forth
into beautiful, vibrant spring.


H