First Place Winner!

Autumn Leaves by Greta Faugstad

The green leaves of summer must take their final bow,
giving up the stage for the vibrant, warm colors of autumn leaves.
Spinning and whirling on their delicate toes,
the ballerinas of nature tease the frost-bitten ground,
which is eager to clothe its barrenness with their optimistic colors.
As the midwest sun descends, it illuminates their true hue,
producing a spectacular mirage of browns, reds, oranges, and yellows,
starkly contrasting against the dull color of the lifeless lawn.

Above the weary earth, wind whistles and rushes through the trees,
forcing the stubborn stragglers to defy gravity. Undertaking the challenge,
the elderly leaves, stiff with the resolution of surviving the year,
rub their rough, sandpapery faces over the ground,
daring it to break them down.
The skidding leaves create a cacophony of noise,

endeavoring to drown the sound of their creaking and sighing mothers, the trees,

mourning after their lost children.
The departed children, like a library of ancient books,
produce unique aromas to grace the atmosphere around them.
The youthful ones cluster together in damp piles,
disintegrating within the scent of rich moistness.

Yet older and more independent leaves land separately in dry, protected areas,
shriveling up over time, only to leave their musty smell and empty skeleton behind.

Together, the youthful and aged leaves produce a fresh odor,
strengthening the breeze with self-assurance.

With a final flourish, the autumn leaves,

fulfilling what they were called to do, step lightly off the stage.
Yet no tears are shed, for the saddened are comforted
with the knowledge that the performers will return, fresh and new,

to grace the stage once again.