Mushrooms and Monochrome Skulls

By Aubrey Lynch

The leaves turn yellow.

Some turn orange, then red;

all turn brown

when they fall to the ground.

Mushrooms, some brown,

some red, spring forth

from the leaves' rot.

When we die we will rot too.

But, that is no concern.

Not when the trees

are losing their leaves.

Not when children

dream of candy.

Not when I, and so many others,

sit behind a window with a cup of tea,

the chilling sun great company

on a nice fall day.

Skulls decorate the window–

a memento mori to remind us

no matter how poorly or well

we may live our lives,

we end up in the same soil.

But we mingle with loved ones,

trading pies and excitement.

We're alive;

what better thing to celebrate?

Soon the cold will come.

Soon we'll be forced apart by snow.

Soon we'll brave icy roads

for a conversation and an embrace.

But for now we walk in the chill,

before the cold,

with loved ones and converse.

Fall is here,

with mushrooms and monochrome skulls.

Aubrey Lynch ‘23 was born in Pennsylvania.