Today I Must Look

Today I Must Look

Red leaf, the color hard to describe

When I look closely there are many variations

Some tart red

Some wine

Some in transition, red to wine

Like the miracle

Too soon the red will change to clay brown

And so today I must look

And tomorrow, in the midst of winter

When the brown seems muddy and old

I must remember

The red is there, too

These leaves hold on tightly

Waiting, waiting all winter

Until the new growth comes

And releases them

They take flight and become

The soil that feeds all color