My beauty is beginning to fade with the chill of the air.
The luster of my emerald skin grows tan by darkness, not light.
The softness of my veins hardens as the days grow into a dim haze.
I do not fear what lies ahead in the drift of a cold winter night.
My youth was spent wisely, basking each day in the warmth of the sun.
There is no regret, no apprehension, no shortness in my breath.
The end of this era will mark the start of something eternal and yet new.
Fall has brought with it change that must begin with death.
I was the same as all the others, yet different from the rest.
A small piece of something greater, I kept my personal charms.
Saying goodnight now to this old tree that gave me life,
I will sleep until it releases me from the loving touch of its arms.
© 10.15.11