Winter from Below

Oak leaves tremble in the wind,
drip with recent rain.
They turn orange and fall
to know winter from below.

I know winter from above.

My place at the window,
coffee in hand
as thoughts rise and take shape.

I’ve seen the leaves shine and die.

Seen them shake in storms
and fall from crowns.
From this I have gathered insight:

In each moment, a heart shines,

a body dies. Lives bend beneath wind.
They’ll all go orange inside
to know winter from below.

One day I too will fade:

drip with a lifetime of storms—
float leaf-like
into the hands of winter.

(From the book Wilderness & Love)