Branches crack beneath your step
Dawn breaks in, ephemeral
A sharp wind taps your back
Suggesting your somnambulant drive was correct

As your sparse thoughts gather
Your ears catch a distant sound
And a path made of feathers
Points you to your south

When your legs start to ache
And your breath fails
Your sight sets to this frail woman
Crowned by nightingales

She spots your unease
And fires a fierce glare
Humble thyself and bow if for your life you care
Said calmly, while fidgeting her hair

You obey, a second or two delayed
Surprised with her dry tone
The Queen of Autumn Leaves giggles in her throne
Said it's but a jest, come close
And so you approach fast
Your pace confessing your confusion
She sees right through
Her mind forging the finest illusion
Just for you
For you

Before you realize, your knees hit the ground
Where your last speck of innocence is to be found
You look up a gray sky
It feels cold, but you're not alone
For you see, you're not that different
From what falls off these trees
You're equivalent to them leaves
Just one more to her collection
And yet, there's that small fraction
That doesn't fret
That just lets her have her way
And sways to whatever tune she plays
Another rebellion gone to waste
For some seasons never change