The leaf or the Oak

September has come and the winds start the season
Flowers withering as the ducks fly to warmer climates
The cool breeze turns green to rainbow and the waters
Ripple often to the voice of fall
Playgrounds pound less from rubber skin and sweat
t-shirts become sweaters as coats replace vest
caps are now skulled and the rings are covered in gloves
as bears store up fat for the winter to warm the baby cubs
fish fast as Celsius takes a dip
as teams systematically now vow for championships
a single leaf dangles like participles intended to suspend
waiting for the moment to finally leave home
the stem barely touches the branch
the branch holds firm to the limb
as the limb relies on the trunk
steadfast in his fathers house

then he flies, the wind blows and he flies
around and around over and under up and down
over waters and rocks past known to the unknown
till he descends into the river below
now he floats around and around over and under up and down
over oil spills and jelly's through white water moments of euphoria
down to the calm stream below
where he contemplates what's next
he sees where he may make it to shore
where it's dry and calm
still and secure where maybe he can find a moment of peace before
he starts to change for the withering has progressed to the elder time
but if he stays in the water he can float on and on for a while longer
seeing the unknown in other unknowns
or make it shore and start to become one with the soil transform from a leaf
to a bud in the dirt that takes root and starts to grow from a sprout to a twig
twig to stick from stick to trunk becoming a mighty oak steadfast in his fathers house
that sees September 50 score and more producing green leaves that rainbow
or wither into the waters and become algae for a moment in time.