AUTUMN
by
Dania Tamendarova (copyright 1997 All Rights Reserved)
Farewell leaves of gold. The old oak near the pond,
black and dead. Silence. She is alone, speechless and cold.
There is nothing else around. Just the oak, bottomless waters of
the pond and leaves falling down. Slowly, without a sound. Her
eyes are closed. She is listening. Listening to the nothingness
of the white clouds above her, to the quiet whisper of the
half-dead oak tree...
She knows its language, she feels its words.
"You are..."
"Alone? Yes."
"Why are you crying?"
"I am not."
"Not with tears."
"I. . .," pause, "It is so cold!"
"It is almost November. "
"I know...You are alone too."
"I am not a human. "
"It doesn't make any difference "
"As you say."
A lonely bird crossed the heavy, gray sky.
"You are old. You will die soon, Tree."
"Soon is too long "
"You. . . want to die?"
"No, I don't want anything. I am too old. "
"Age is not the reason."
"For you, no."
"What do you mean?"
"Ask yourself. "
She opened her eyes. Hand touched the old trunk. It
had so many wounds on it. So many scars... Yet, it was strong.
Old but strong The only living tree around. Lonely too. It is
not a human. That's why it is still so strong, lone tree by the
black pond.
"You are not a human, but still you are lonely."
"That's why you come here. "
She looked at the pond, "Is there anything alive in
these waters?"
"Oh, yes. Can't you hear the whispers?"
"I wish I were you, Tree."
"Why? "
"I would hear the voice of the dead water, have golden
leaves falling around me and someone..."
"Like you? "
She stood, "Enough. I have to go."
"Where? "
Autumn, farewell gold of the leaves. The old oak near
the pond, black and dead. Silence. She is alone, speechless and
cold. There is nothing else around...and nowhere else to go.
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