Autumn Ball

I peer up through your skirts

flaming, diaphanous

each of you a cinderella in this

autumn ball

This is the season

when you emerge

from your service garb

of chloroplast green

no longer sun-saturated

but bursting away its light

in bold patterns

blazing iridescence

red, gold and orange

and kaleidoscope edged

leaves

The belles of this

fast-paced celebration

proclaiming

your inner flare

in sunset tides of

unbridled brilliance

You are bravest before

the reckoning, the ultimate test

before the teasing breezes

and gusty winds

unfurl you leaf by leaf

turning them into

embers

and you

into haunting specters of

your former selves

bared and silhouetted

before the sun

that once filled you to

spilling sap in selfless joy

May you all survive

the silencing, pummeling rigors

of this winter and live to

become flourishing green

and once again

proclaim your inner

sunset glory.