Golden Leaves

A poem celebrating a walk under golden leaves by the river in glorious sunshine

Hi, I’m Sue and I write about the beauty and ingenuity of Nature, and how we can deepen our connection for our optimum health and wellbeing. Discover more Nature-inspired content on Spiral Leaf, Twitter and my video Nature Channel.

Light beckons as the path winds round to greet the lowering Sun,

Illuminating ragged trees losing their leaves, their work now done,

Soft padded steps, the rustle of fallen debris scattered underfoot,

Breathing in the cool, clean air as I slowly approach the wood.

The path widens, its edge dipping down to the river,

Ancient roots line trenches filled with leaf litter,

Sunlight shines through crowns of leaves like golden glitter,

Birds sing as the water glides in waves that shimmer.

I find a place to sit on the bank, warmed by the Sun, unspoiled,

I feel the ground beneath me, hands splayed out on the soil,

I listen and relax to the gentle sounds of the river’s flow,

I feel Mother Nature's heart, allowing her to bring me home.

Admiring the leaves, playing their part in life on Earth,

Cleaning the air, feeding trees in cycles of death and birth,

Giving us shade, making every season the joy it is to see,

Foliage as beautiful now as ever it was or will be.

A splendour of treedom, resplendent and free,

Handsome Beech Tree, full of life-giving energy,

I know you were here, living, long, long before me,

Tell me your tales of wisdom, show me the way to be.

Ancient trees, so much more than trunks and leaves,

Roots travelling deep to the depths of the Earth beneath,

Breaking free above ground where they twist and turn,

Weaving a trellis of woodwork along the water's edge.

I leaned back on the bank where I was sitting,

Tilting my head to enjoy the golden leaves above me, smitten,

Mesmerised by the light, the colours, a beautiful, brilliant, heaven,

Such moments in Nature touch my heart and soul, no question.

Beech leaves, thin as paper, in all shades of brown,

Splayed out like fans on branches layering down,

Creating canopies, filtering a dappled light,

Casting shadows on the bark and flashes of white.

Beech trees live through centuries of time,

Gnarled and knotted habitats for so many a wild thing,

Here, hole-nesting birds and wood-boring insects can be found,

Its trunk, home to fungi, mosses, lichens and wildflowers.

I wonder at the beauty of this time of year,

As Nature fades in a blaze of fanfare and cheer,

Gifts of colour enrich the eyes, made crystal clear,

In the golden yellows, rusts and reds, we all hold dear.

Thank you for walking with me through the leaves. If you enjoyed this poem, you might like to visit my Golden Leaves Gallery with accompanying photographs taken on the wonderful day that inspired this poem.

I hope you enjoy and look forward to seeing you again soon.

Much love, Sue Xx