The outer wall of the thatched cottage
Has been hidden under a welter of green ivy
For the blissful summer months,
Though now Autumn is staring us in the face
And the year is sliding towards Winter,
When frosts and snow will bite at our heels.
Meanwhile, God's genius has been at work
And the green hues have been set aflame
With a myriad of burnished reds.
With a span as wide as the palm of a hand
Each leaf has begun its majestic exhibition
Before plucking itself from the withering stem,
And casting itself to the ground.
There is already a first layer of leaves on the floor
And I kneel on them and amaze at the beauty.
The heads of the flowers in the overflowing beds
Are beginning their doze into hibernation too, while
Neighbouring tall trees lower their gaze
And prepare for the harshness ahead.