I Love to Write
[b][i][c=#BF0000][big]Burning Brittle Browns[/big][/c][/i][/b]
Maddie raked the leaves. That was her job, and there were plenty of leaves to rake! Their back yard had all kinds of trees, and Maddie always had to rake and burn, rake and burn, rake and burn.
Maddie didn't mind, but she just wished that the trees would all drop their leaves at one time! Then she could do it once and be done.
But, no! The ashes went first with their oval yellows. And then the maples in blaze reds, sunshine yellows and glowing oranges. And last the oaks, holding into their brittle browns until the last minute, clinging to them as if to life.
This meant four or five rakings. Four or five burnings.
And each time Maddie thought about the leaves and the trees. The dried leaves and the barren trees looked dead, but she knew the trees were still alive, still vibrant, still full of sappy life. She knew that spring would come and warmth and sun. And with them, the leaves would return, the shade would grow, and the trees would look alive again.
And she wondered...whether [b][i]she[/i][/b] would ever look alive again. Deep down somewhere life still flowed. Somewhere her heart held onto the life giving sap. Somewhere deep in her roots spring slept.
Deep down she wondered if something needed to burn within her to bring life to her barren face, her wintry heart.
And so she raked and burned. Raked and burned...
Maddie raked the leaves. That was her job, and there were plenty of leaves to rake! Their back yard had all kinds of trees, and Maddie always had to rake and burn, rake and burn, rake and burn.
Maddie didn't mind, but she just wished that the trees would all drop their leaves at one time! Then she could do it once and be done.
But, no! The ashes went first with their oval yellows. And then the maples in blaze reds, sunshine yellows and glowing oranges. And last the oaks, holding into their brittle browns until the last minute, clinging to them as if to life.
This meant four or five rakings. Four or five burnings.
And each time Maddie thought about the leaves and the trees. The dried leaves and the barren trees looked dead, but she knew the trees were still alive, still vibrant, still full of sappy life. She knew that spring would come and warmth and sun. And with them, the leaves would return, the shade would grow, and the trees would look alive again.
And she wondered...whether [b][i]she[/i][/b] would ever look alive again. Deep down somewhere life still flowed. Somewhere her heart held onto the life giving sap. Somewhere deep in her roots spring slept.
Deep down she wondered if something needed to burn within her to bring life to her barren face, her wintry heart.
And so she raked and burned. Raked and burned...
