Fall Foliage #15

The forest under siege
in paintball warfare

exploding pods of color
golden yellows, scarlet reds

eclipsing brightly
the vast, expansive green

such my bird's eye view
from Airbus window seat

high above the Rockies
aspen and maple-splattered

empyreal glimpses
of fall's magnificence.

Final Bows

Last leaves of the season
stuck tenaciously to the stage

colorful ornaments
still in aesthetic pose

more in starring roles
with left-behind status

reluctant performers
at their valedictory moment

a wild, buffeted ride
gentle balletic twirls

or wafting slightly side to side
into the grand finale pile.