This layer of crackling leaves
lies dry upon the earth,
brown and begging
for a return to the dirt
so that the cycle
can be completed.
The beautiful colors
were once vibrant
upon the trees,
but now, in their withered state,
shall be cannibalized by the soil
during nature’s yearly ritual.
Like a shooting star
fading through the sky,
this wondrous vision in autumn
shines brightest
before it dies.
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