Leaf in the Wind

My mother sways gently as the wind comes again
It disturbs my brothers as much as I
We all fear the fall to the land below; the Unknown

A light snap cuts through the thin, cool air
Another brother falls
All of us watch in horror as he floats downward
To join the rest of our lost ones

One by one, my brothers fall until I am the only one
I begin to cry
I know I am next
I am the only one left

The wind comes again, brushing against me
It plays like a child in my mother's now bare limbs
My mother shivers
My hold on her breaks

I fall slowly as though in a dream
Drifting down, down
I fall into the Unknown just as all my brothers before me

The wind comes again
It pushes me left then right
I begin to spin

I can see my mother above me
She smiles as though it is good I am gone
I cry out to her
Why is she happy?

Finally, it is over
I now rest in the Unknown
I look around to see my brothers
I find them smiling

Why are you smiling?
Have you all gone mad?
Brothers, why do you smile?

My brothers call out an answer;
Our deaths will not be in vain, brother
We are the future of our brothers soon to come
We will live again as part of another

I smiled, understanding
We are the future of our mother
Of our brothers
Of all the others

I close my eyes and leave myself
My brothers' words echo through the forest
We have not died in vain...