Circle of the Leaf (JM)

 (Joseph MacRae, published in Writers at Play Presents: The Art of Letter Writing, edited by Daisy Barrett-Nash, Equal Arts, 2023. From 1992.)

Circle of the Leaf

I toss these leaves upon the wind,

till shined upon by New Moon's spirit…

Winter snows melt,

as spring rains come.

Magic is being performed,

transforming the forests of sleepy brown,

to living green.

To give beauty and shade, in summer heat.

Then comes the Autumn,

The leaves now turn to red and gold.

Die and fall gently to the ground.

Soon to decay, and fade away.

Then will come the sleeping winter, 

with rain and snow.

The wind will blow.

But again new life awaits,

waiting beneath the blanket

of fallen leaves.