New Life

In autumn the foliage of
immature oak, beech and
hornbeam obligingly abandon
their verdant hues in favour
of seasonal yellow and bronze
and as winter approaches
those bright flags of fall
retain their grip on defiant
branches refusing to surrender
to chill whipping winds
determined they must descend
to litter the forest floor in a
natural order of leaf mass
enriching soil and leaving
bare branches to counter the
icy breath of winter. The
recalcitrant foliage refuses
blandishments and stern order
alike to fly the pride of their
presence, discrete and lovely
gifts of colour within a landscape
of monochromatic white and grey.
It is when spring arrives
and the sun rises aloft warming
all that slumbers to rise  from
the frozen ground and shrug off
winter's mantle that the wind's
influence finally succeeds
the dried and dessicated foliage
floating away as their hosts
prepare to welcome new life.