season of shedding

shedding —
a shedding of
the unnecessary.

the ground is peppered with yellow and gold,
the branches becoming less and less crowded,
the air more crisp and dry.

the birds sing as they travel to a warm home.
their calls carry a new resonance
when I understand their journey.

I see a cardinal in the bush.
I think of my mother,
and the great mark she left on my soul.

this season unearths grief.
the colors reflect my inner mourning.
life outside mirrors the complex, rich world of our souls.