A Single Leaf

Slowly, through the Golden Wood,
the Seeker steps in thought;
of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful,
as any sincere Seeker ought.

As he walks on
in Reverie Profound,
a floating Leaf flutters by.
Drifting on the Wind,
its Motion catches his eye.

He watches it
come to rest,
and the thought strikes him from the blue -
thousands of Leaves fall every day --
Unnoticed, Unseen, with No Ado.

A number of Leaves unknowable are hurled,
they say, into the Wind each year –
But each Leaf, itself, will fall
but once;
in all the turnings of the World.

As Different as any two Snowflakes,
yet Unsung, and less Loved than them.
It seems, to him, suddenly Profound --
the Parallels between Leaves and Men.

Forming, growing, failing,
their Fated, final Foe
is that Wind which rips them
finally from their Branch,
and carries them into the Unknown.

They may hang tight in Fear --
for a while;
but that only means
that a still stronger Wind, one day, will whip --
and tear them from their Tree.

Then they may find, to their Surprise,
the Beauty of the ride,
as the Wild Breeze carries them
for a while -- Far, High, and Wide.

Then the Wonder of rejoining
all who fell before,
laying now, resting peacefully,
upon the Forest Floor.

And the greatest Mystery of it all --
that from them new Life will Spring!
Seems enough, when truly pondered, to
make even the most jaded Sing.

But, perhaps, most Unexpected,
to the Seeker himself, is that in his Quest
he has learned to Look
with more than just the Eyes,
and Sees -- At Last:

Life,
Fear,
Beauty,
Wonder,
Mystery,
yes, Infinity --
are to be found in even