First leaf

The first leaf

is let away

from the motherly grasp

of its tree's branches.

It twirls down

the veins and the webbed leaf between them

fighting

gravity

making it spin

dip

fly

this way

that way

uh oh

wrong way.

Eventually

it will fall

touching down

point first

toppling onto one side

a little dish

of red-orange-yellow

almost brown

crispness.

The hiking boots will come

tromping

through the woods

contradicting

the leaves' graceful dance

the boots

may step

down

in just the wrong spot

and the leaf

may split

crack

crumble.

Another will fall in its

place

soon enough.