In the heart of the forest, beneath The gentle caress of autumn’s decay, I stopped and watched the leaves, Crimson and gold, lifted by the breeze, Casting shadows across my solitary path. Here in these woods, I regained faith— In the worn shuffle of my footsteps, In the unerring pulse of the endless trees, And I knew the aching beauty of nature’s breath, A reminder to seek solace between the layers of life, A partnership, quietly vibrant and alive.

— “Autumn Song”

• James Wright