Photo by C Hickey

I began to notice the change in color on my crown

It seems like a new thing, almost appearing overnight

But it’s just a natural progression of time and temperature

Still nostalgic for the vibrancy of my verdant youth

Remembering how full; bursting with blossom or new fruit

Purposefully, I sheltered my friends and provided nooks for their nests

Strong and stoic I gave cool shade in the summer heat

Soft and lazy my limbs swayed in the breezes

No longer hungry I reclaim my energy

Responding to the day’s light and cold I morph from green to gold

I have earned this wealth and golden grandeur

My mantle illuminates the horizon

Soon I lay bare

Storing the courage to weather the change