Biting, the sun’s brilliance –
set against a cornflower blue sky –
competes with the mustard gold,
tangerine orange and chartreuse
leaves, shimmering in the breeze

the vividness of colours, too sharp
for just awakened eyes, begs retreat.
I contemplate what I have witnessed,
think life is like this: too beautiful
at times for words, glorious perfection.

In a blink, the sky changes – white
clouds forming a backdrop, the autumn
wind tossing the tree about, branches
dipping, pulled apart, and the harmony
of the moment is gone, and I think

life is like this:  turning without notice,
what once was balance suddenly lost,
and we are left spinning; I can hear it now
wind rushing against the windowpane,
taunting:  Change! Change is coming!

And I know what it speaks is true, for
life is like this:  ever-fluctuating, and
the reminder is bittersweet; my heart,
reluctant to let go of summer, knows
it’s okay; it’s just the way of life.

(Image: http://www.mnn.com)

(This post is a rewrite of an early entry on One Woman’s Quest.  The original was written as prose and I thought it might be interesting to rewrite as a poem.)