A Collection of Fall-Inspired Poems

Written by Gabrielle Unzicker

A Morning Walk

The grackle argues with the gray catbird from his lofty perch in the dead tree.

The faint wisp of morning dew on the fields of summer’s last wildflowers, 

as they bow out, their show done.

The earth breathes a sigh of release after a much-needed drink.

The woods come to life, the spirits lifting off towards the unknown.

I use all my senses here.

For the sickly sweet fragrance of the honeysuckle that climbs the telephone pole.

The rap of the woodpecker on a tree somewhere beyond my sight.

The call and response of the songbirds, already busy about their day.

The Autumn Inside Me

Oh, how lovely!

Bright and beautiful,

Colorful wonders of the changing seasons.

The autumn leaves decorate the sky, 

Glowing brightly even as they lose their luster.

How wonderful it is for them,

To be so beloved and celebrated

In their final moments.

To feel warmth in their chilly branches.

How wonderful it would be

If we could share that love together.

To, in our solemnest moments,

Hear someone exclaim

How bright and beautiful we are!

Our strength, our hope,

Our colors are still with us,

And shine brightest when they are all we have left.

Beholding

I admire the evening leaves;

the golden-yellow,

the robust red,

the muted umber,

the stark contrast of Virginia creeper's red against the white pine's evergreen.

The rainbow of fall elegance,

bathed in the golden light of the setting sun.

A light that cannot be so easily compared

to the glow of the harvest moon, 

as it rises majestically above the treetops and the campfire that keeps us warm.

Pumpkin patches and apple orchards,

corn mazes and harvest festivals

All remind us of the good things we can celebrate from this year.

Walnuts and acorns crash to the ground,

a fine feast for the squirrels and chipmunks that scamper in earnest around their forest home.

Tiny white flowers dot the fringes of fields and prairies,

mimicking the tiny white ghosts and ghouls that decorate our porches.

The seasons are changing, true.

Cooler temperatures descend as the sun sets earlier and earlier each day.

But there is still ample time to explore something new.

Allow yourself a pause, open up your senses to the world around you.

Notice something new, something real.

You might learn where your favorite wildflowers bloom,

or how many different birds you can hear on a morning walk. 

(my record is 18).

I have decided walnut leaves make the best crunch under my feet,

and a blanket of acorns on the ground sounds almost like a gravel road, only better.

I know now where I'll hear the gray squirrels chattering to one another,

and where I saw a young muskrat before it dove into the river.

Fall is beautiful.

It's chilly, perfect for a warm drink.

It's quiet, perfect for meditation or a good laugh.

It's whimsical, perfect for an adventure, a new discovery.

It's exciting, offering something new to experience and learn each hour and day.

Fall is perfect in all its different ways.

Gabrielle Unzicker, First Year Environmental Educator