The Shift
In the morning hush
With each falling leaf's flutter
I hear seasons change
Standing on the smooth granite surface of a rock jutting from the rich, dark earth, I closed my eyes and listened carefully. Tiny birds puffed on branches stirred to greet the cold dawn with warm sparks of song, while the first rays of sun pierced into the woodlands to thaw the lingering night shadows. Every few moments there would come a series of soft sounds, the faint noise of a single leaf spiraling down through the layered canopy, brushing other leaves in its decent until it finally settled on the forest floor. After a brief pause, another would follow. This was the sound of the leaves dropping, the most subtle song of summer giving way to autumn.