Autumn, Cornucupia

Autumn,
season of my birth,
season of golden-hued
leaves-
(while some are 
crimson, russet, crinkled or fallen...)
Leaves
and leavings 
showing that summer is past
and a change is in the air
a crisp coolness
- a whisper of
transitions-
drowsy butterflies
- too soon gone.
It is a time of festivals
and olden traditions,
of gatherings
with food and dance,
of celebrations and abundance
-a cornucopia of harvest, home and hearth.
But also a preparation
for the long 
winter
when looking inward,
contemplation
and remembering
comes forth.
It is a time to think
of legacies
and the old ones
of those no longer here
and ask,
How can we bring honor, 
pay homage?
It is a good time to vow,
make a promise to the self;
to remain true
and live mindfully
-with passion
to be as a leaf
green, unfurled with youth's vibrancy
or golden, ripened, wizened with age.