It Came From October

There's a shifting change, a chill in the air

Suddenly, the wind picks up

carrying a leaf along with it

A fiery red leaf with flecks of orange

from some mysterious place

the leaf twirls, ascends,

descends,

and ascends again

as the wind playfully blows it around

until drifting down

pirouette

landing at your feet

Where did the leaf come from?

From a magical place called October

On a dirt path that begins where luscious greens and blooming wildflowers end

fading with each step

shifting from soft blades of grass that tickle feet

to crisp autumn leaves that crunch under boots

calla lilies, roses, and peonies

transform into

mums and marigolds

bursting into a kaleidoscope of

red

yellow

orange

fields of goldenrod

Further down the path

middle of October

the subtle scent of a campfire

grows more distinct

as the smoke from

the charred wood

of maple, hickory, and oak

crackles

drifts in your direction

glowing embers dance in the air

At the deepest part of the path

There's a different chill in the air

The kind of chill that causes

hair to stand on end

unsettling eerie sensations

A supernatural presence

lurks around the bend

Halloween