SPRING is the time of year when new life begins
A tiny bud sprouts at the end of a branch. Then another
Fueled by a drop of rain, they grow and grow
Soon the bud unfurls to form a leaf
Different shapes appear among neighboring trees
A unique design for each species
Their shapes include circles, stars, triangles and hearts
There are large ones, small ones, fat ones and skinny ones
There are heavy ones, and light ones, and some are needles
They come in all shapes and sizes
The only consistency is that most of them are green, the color of spring
SUMMER is when they grow and multiply
You’d think they can’t fit even one more leaf in their canopy
Yet they fill every void in their home tree above
In a gentle breeze, they sway
In a gentle rain, they weep
In the bright sun, they glisten
In a storm, they hang on for dear life
And through it all, they grow
They obtain life giving nourishment from the ground
Until, eventually, the summer draws to a close
Days get longer, and there’s more sun each day
FALL is the time when life flows slower through their veins
Their deep green color begins to fade
Leaf by leaf, the green is replaced by orange
Then the orange turns to a brilliant red
Each color change is a beautiful indication
That the leaves have done their job
Providing sustenance to their home tree
And with that, another year of life
But now their lives are coming to an end
They begin to wither and grow brittle
With each passing breeze their connection to the tree weakens
Then, one day, that connection is no longer strong enough
It breaks, and they fall to the ground
Eventually the ground is blanketed with orange
Their brilliant colors are fading to a dingy brown
But selflessly their last act has yet to arrive
WINTER finds them lying discarded on the ground
With time, they slowly disappear under the surface
Finally, they will provide nutrients for future canopies
The sights and sounds of next year’s beauty are being formed
Thank you, leaves, for the appearance of the first green buddings in SPRING
Thank you, leaves, for the swaying rhythmic ballet of a breeze in SUMMER
Thank you, leaves, for providing us a beautiful carpet of color in FALL
And thank you, leaves, for your contribution to future growth in WINTER