The temperature dipped this week, and we are finally feeling the cool of autumn. Of course, it comes in the form of a nor’easter with winds at 30-35 miles an hour. The bright trees are swaying as golden and orange leaves swirl to the ground. The sky is washed out gray, and I’m inside preparing for fall. Since the weather has made me sleep in, I finally have time to breathe and relax. I can have a second cup of tea. I can leisurely look at my texts and emails. The cool air makes you yearn for apples, pumpkins, and plum colored sweaters. It is a good morning to move my summer clothes to storage and get out my wool and plaids.
I pull out my storage boxes and begin the exchange. Searsuckers, cottons, skorts, and bathing suits are folded and stored. I open each fall/winter box like it is Christmas. I forgot I had those Black Watch plaid pants. Oh, why did I buy three purple turtlenecks in the same exact style and shade? It is time to sort and declutter, and it feels so good. I’m getting something accomplished. In the end, I will have a new wardrobe that matches the season. This simple task lifts my spirits. I’m getting ready for something new, and I’m prepared now.
My back aches from bending, and I remind myself to go slow. Sit down, have that second cup of tea and stare out the window into the yellow and orange woods. The wind has died down a bit, but this is the calm before the storm, the weathermen tell me. I love autumn. I love how the trees prepare themselves for winter. They don’t go out quietly. They explode into color, scattering their brilliant leaves into the sky and down to the ground. A carpet of leaves blankets my yard. The trees are displaying their splendid wares one more time before they take their winter rest.The wind picks up again. I return to finish my fall exchange and then sit down to write. I want to capture this moment.
©2025 Joanne L. Emery. Wordancerblog.com. All Rights Reserved.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 
Simply beautiful work!
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Oh you take me back to New Jersey with this lovely post—to changing closet and discovery of those clothes put away, those plaid pants and the array of purple (mine were red!). The that line, “They don’t go out quietly. They explode in color…” prose, perhaps, but poetry to me. The personification of the leaf’s last dance, her autumn swam song, carries me along. Thanks for this today.
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Your last paragraph and your poem have striking descriptions of fall. I dislike fall mainly because it is followed by winter, my least favorite season. The way you describe trees preparing for winter is causing me to take another look and see the beauty rather than just wait for it to get cold and yucky.
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THIS is lovely and clearly depicts the magic happening inside and outside our homes as the temps dipped from 80s to 50s as the wind blew in that Nor-easter. I too did the clothes exchange and then went outside to pick up some of the carpet of leaves and twigs that is everywhere. I do like the way fall tickles your senses!
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Joanne, what a lovely post. I liked going through those wintry boxes of clothes with you. I had such a cold rainy day here today, that I can relate. I think I should go through my clothes a bit too. I had to look up the aging word senescence, and it made me read your poem metaphorically. I love the dancing of the leaf. Enjoying every last moment of life. I want to do that too!
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Beautiful.
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