I escaped the warmth of my home to expose myself to the outside

The breeze was brisk, uninviting but strangely refreshing and new

It is fall now and I didn’t even realize

It crept up and suddenly slapped me in the face like the icy breeze

I’ve been outside more lately, 

Finding comfort in solitude and peace in placidity

Enjoying taking in the world around me, but hesitant due to the glacial winds and dim environment

The colors are subtle

I catch myself stepping on muted burnt orange and brown leaves that crinkle, crumble, and fade away at the touch,

Only lasting for a moment before they are given to the earth

It’s almost impossible to keep my hands to myself, I itch to make contact with every fallen frond and branch 

But the trees that are still populated and grass that escaped browning never fail to show up to class,

Saying “Hello! It’s fall but not dead”.

I was taken aback by the stark contrast in Mother Nature,

Bright blades of grass and pre-autumn leaves happily attached to sturdy trees

Fighting for my attention against the wintry, dull nature of post-autumn Earth

The sun is tucked behind the curtains of the sky, waiting for its moment to perform,

But little does she know its the protector’s turn- the clouds’ turn- to capture the attention of the audience

I often hope for warm, inviting days, but there is something about the fall that is so enticing

A chance to build a den of sorts, a home within your home, to protect against the rudeness of the wind,

A chance to curl up to jazzy music with a book in fuzzy socks, their plush interiors enveloping our feet,

A chance to drink a hot cup of coffee or tea, giving temporary strength for the day ahead,

A chance to layer and bundle up, envying the months prior

The fall is inescapable- the cold is inescapable- and tends to bring a differing, frigid reality