A leaf lays on the ground, remnant of the past
now dried rust brown from majestic heights cast
once green it kissed the breeze, danced in the sun
life\'s design spent, it falls broken and done
A map now outdated, hollow lines mark its leather skin
in a nap belated, painted dark, now frail and thin
sleeping on earth\'s cradle, it rocks throughout the night
served by rain\'s ladle, no longer thirsty to drink the light
Born from the breath of spring to its native branch did cling
shading all until the fall, its veins life did bring
buried in an unmarked grave, it returns to the dirt
giving back what it had taken, to awaken the inert