Autumn, Rockcliffe, mid October

Turmeric leaf petals glitter in sunlight
invisibly suspended
on orchard trees, still green beneath the surface.
Dotted floating magic.

Along the wood edge
horizontal branches of beech
offer leaves of brightest ginger
glowing against the blue ghosted tinge
of deeper forest beyond.

The larch line has turned a dusky peach-orange
as I look from the house up the hill.

Vegetation makes contours as it works down
from soft grey of sapling stems,
through rusty brightness of sunlight bracken
fresh green of long tuft grass cutting diagonal angles
through purpler tinted shades of brown.

The plum trees behind the bothy
are spattered with yellow highlights
against their vibrant green depths.

Autumn light has begun to shine
its searchlight on the woodland slope
the firs transformed to some unknown hue
in powerful brightness
the low, golden-orange bathing
casting its brilliance North this morning.

A blanket of sparkling gold
lays upon the heath today
a still, healing warmth penetrates
through the glowing amber bracken tops
to the dark stem tunnels below,
softening, melting the land down for winter.