She fought it hard, this slow death.
Every photosynthetic
cell that relinquished its green
became the Enemy – each
sag, each ache, each decaying
limb strangled her dreams with dry
rot, made hope a withered thing.
.
The colour came later, much
later, apologetic
at first, drops of iodine
swirling in a glass. One day
she woke up amber;
one more dying struggle, one
further convulsive release
and scarlet draped her shoulders.
.
Now one with the world’s sunsets,
her fight is no longer with
the pain that has painted her
so robust a shade. No, she
lives, dying, more alive than
ever before, breathing air
tinged gold, dreaming newer dreams,
intensely saturated
with expectant undertones.
Meanwhile, Melody Muses... 
Wow-wonderful, full and rich, great use of colour, Mel. God bless you BIG–love, sis Caddo
I’ll take it! 😉 Thanks, friend.
I wonder if the leaves do hold on, reluctant to let go? They each fall in their own time which is interesting, which must make each leaf as unique as we humans are…….mmmmm……..lovely words to set my brain a-thinking.
Quite the thinker you’ve got. I think nature holds within herself our counterparts, so that as we watch her, we can learn about ourselves…
Our counterparts…..I like that. Are they wiser than us perhaps?
Often they seem to be – but they are usually operating by instinct. WE have to make the hard choices – Yikes! 🙂
Sigh! That we do.
Fighting the fight until she no longer can…
Kinda’ like real life. We want to keep living & hang on to our loved ones here. But – sometimes – it’s best to let go.
All in it’s season, right? What a fine balance, this holding on, and letting go. You come at it from a different perspective – and know first-hand how hard it is to let go. The miracle is, that as we let go, do the hard thing, some of our best colours begin to show. Amazing…
Love it.
Thanks Rob!
; ^ )
Very lovely and can be so true!
Life has a way of shaking us through the tough roads, to see if we will crawl or fly. I for one would like to fly!
Me too!
“She lives, dying, more alive than ever before” speaks profoundly to me, Melody. Another gem!
Thanks Lauren!
This is one of my new favorites. Brilliant Melody!
Who doesn’t like being told they’re brilliant? (Will you pass the message on to my teenagers for me??) hehe
I will if you reciprocate! And justly earned, I was wide eyed through the entire piece!
Wow. How amazing is that? I humbly thank you….