A facebook friend, Margaret Terry, wrote a beautiful comment remarking that she had found three large, crimson maple leaves on her doorstep  this morning – gifts of the wind. That brought back memories of a poem that I had written a long time ago, called

Point of Entry

I was startled to  see three sets of fall leaves on my deck this morning.

They looked like footprints – neat and square,side by side –

As though someone were walking up to our back door hesitantly,

Wondering if she were allowed  to use the casual, ‘friends and family’ entrance to our home.

These three  sets of leaf-footprints appeared to be evidence of one hoping to come in:

Signs of someone who was quietly waiting for a gesture of welcome –

an invitation to enter.

And of course that was true.  Autumn had arrived,

and had walked right up to the door.

Shall I let her in?