The Leaves Poem by Vanessa Brown

They lie there in their autumn coats
of brown and gold and green,
crackling, crunching and crisply rustling,
As the wind romances them with whispered secrets.

A breathless child rushes forward
With cheeks flushed from the cold,
And her auburn hair in flight.
She runs expertly in their midst,
Toes pointed and arms whirling
And she gazes up at the leaves as they fall around her.
They gently kiss and caress her soft skin,
As she and they entwine in their dance.

And as the wind once more coaxes them into flight,
She and the leaves surrender themselves
To the beauty of freedom and unrivalled joy.

And as the leaves lull to a calm,
She sits back, content,
For only she can be truly satisfied
By the pursuit of simple pleasures,
And the capacity to see the beauty
That lies at her fingertips.