Once a brilliant green jewel
in a treetop’s crown
this fading brown leaf
on its journey back to soil
slow-motion wobbles
while floating down
to rest
on a small patch of ragged grass
where perfectly outlined in shadow
and the melting edge of November’s snow
it will silently wait to disintegrate
to nourish new life
beneath
a heavy shroud
of wintry white
Poem & Photograph by Joan Kantor
Joan Kantor is the author of five poetry collections. She won First Place for poetry in both The 2015 Writers Digest Self Published Book Awards and the 2013 Hackney Literary Awards. She has been a mentor and judge in the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival’s Fresh Voices program and currently performs in Stringing Words Together, a violin and poetry duo.