Monday, October 17, 2011

Falling Leaves

For you, what does autumn evoke?
Show us in 300 words or less



I'm in love with the fall. Cool mornings followed by warm afternoons.  The air smells clean, freshly laundered. Scented with hints of burnt leaf.  As much as I love that smell, we don't burn leaves here.

Those unburned leaves are colored in the shades of the fire from which they were spared. They  rush across the lawn, blown by playful gusts. Some take flight, reaching for the branches they recently left.  Some are content to somersault across the fading grass.

They migrate from our yard to the neighbor's, only to return in a day or so.  They'll pile themselves around the flowers and shrubs.  Protecting the tender roots from winter's cold.

 I hear them crackling whispers to each other of summer past. Before the rains pin them to the gardens. Before the colors of glory fade to brown. Before winter's snow buries them with icy weight.  They blanket the sleeping plants singing lullabies of spring.



12 comments:

  1. I love your focus on scents here- such an underrated sense!

    This line - crackling whispers to each other of summer past - is pure poetry!

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  2. shades from the fire from which they were spared
    migrate from yard to yard
    air smelling of clean laundry

    Your whole piece is filled with wonderful phrasing that reminds me of both poetry and a painting.

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  3. Okay, I adore "crackling whispers to each other" - truly just fabulous.

    (Which, yes, I now see Galit also commented on. But I was going to comment it too, so I refuse to be guilt-ed out of it by her getting here first!)

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  4. Beautiful. My favorite: They blanket the sleeping plants singing lullabies of spring.

    I will try to remember that when they are clogging our beds after a rain!

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  5. Renee, this is a very beautiful and stylish way of saying you don't like to rake! I don't like raking leaves either. And I also love the scent of fall.

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  6. So nice to meet another Renee! Especially one as talented as you are! Really beautiful.

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  7. Beautiful!
    This line, "I hear them crackling whispers to each other of summer past." brillant!

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  8. I love the personification in this! The hearty leaves fight from certain death, and flutter about. Very cool approach!

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  9. Love the crackling leaves whispering of summer past. They do, don't they? What a perfect way to express it.

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  10. Autumn is my favorite, too, I think, and you've describes so beautifully here why that is.

    Just lovely. Especially the 2nd paragraph

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  11. Beautiful! Really paints a picture in my head.

    Leaves are falling here in Texas, but the temperature hasn't quite fallen with it. Your post makes me yearn for autumn!

    ~Tui
    I'm popping by from the #StoryDam chat linky. Hope you can make it tonight at 8pmET. We're talking about using #StumbleUpon & how it can boost traffic to your blog! :)

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