Autumn Paths

The black pavement underfoot
the brown leaves lay gently there until
a wind
a gentle breeze stirring life
into something lifeless

The small stones glimmer as I walk
one and another
a sea of shimmering stars
glistening and fading
extinct
out

Where did they go?
Under a leaf? Hiding?
Or gone forever?

I walk . . .
a million stars are born and die as I do
Each unique, but do they continue and I fail to see?
Do they dare shine without me?

They only exist when my eyes
capture their light
and hold
it
eternally in mind and spirit

But a leaf is tugged by some
invisible string over the dark night sky
Pulled
by a phantom from life
to the sky, not fallen but risen down

And Crunch
gone