Strip Show

Their limbs adorned in glory, hold up the sky.

Covered in red, yellow, gold, orange and a bit of green for contrast-

magic on the hillsides, the valleys, the riverbanks.

Ocean cliffs are dressed in coats of many colors that Joseph would envy.

Horizons edge the sea with bright hues the eye cannot truly see.

And the wind rises.

Rain begins thrumming-drumming-heavy-beating a music of change, foreboding.

They do not bow meekly.

Dancers all, they throw their hands high-

twirl bending, waving, graceful.

Here a leaf strips away.

There a dozen.

The striptease begins.

The dresses first, then petticoats

They know they will lose the struggle-

They change the game and lingerie is teased away

In flirting, twirling tornadoes of leaves on the wild air

until they stand wet, almost skeletal reaching up dark against the white sky.

They bow slightly to remind us

that we can dress for winter as they stand guard for Spring

Naked through the winter yet to come.