Autumn

The deep amber of honey locust

The indigo scarlet of dogwood

Sugar maple 

with the colors of the sun burning into the green 

Silhouetted 

by dark wet branches 

The bright goldenrod of fall gingkos

The oak's brown clinging on

The red falling 

down, 

down, 

down

The leaves, 

to be crunched, 

to be claimed

Deciduousness 

is dying

The cold air 

brings warm colors

In death 

the palette comes alive