Autumn Breathes

Leaves loosen from its branches
like sacred secrets ready to be told,
drifting down slowly in spirals,
rust, gold, ember,
a soft wildfire that never burns.

The air simply sharpens as the days thin,
slipping beneath collars,
nipping softly at our skin
like its reminding us
that change is meant to be felt.

Warm scents waft from open kitchens,
cinnamon racing through the halls,
apples browning in a simmering pot,
mugs filled with hot chocolate
that fogs windows from inside out.
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Porches glow from pumpkin light
while the sky changes into copper and smoke.
Fall settles around us like a woolen shawl,
a quiet invitation to slow down and savor the season.