these trees i see almost daily

on my walks, ordinary trees,

nothing to distinguish themselves

to my unseeing eyes, are

suddenly extraordinary. here,

in the late afternoon, the leaves,

both red and green sassafras,

catch the sunlight, are aglow.

i would call them christmas

colors, but the red leans too

closely to orange; still, close

enough to invite the image—

a breeze adds a light touch

of movement to the scene.

i cannot help but turn back

to catch another glimpse

as i head home (nor do i resist),

trying to secure the image. 

there is a sense of other-worldliness 

about it, a sense that although 

this happens every autumn,

this sight is a once in a lifetime

event, and it is. i draw no conclusions,

have no significant insights, only

the desire to share the experience.