A Senescent Leaf
Commanded my attention and inspired me
A simple senescent leaf,
fallen on the ground.
But I noticed, it inspired.
It was rich in chlorophylls,
harvested sunshine,
undertook photosynthesis,
cooked for the plant,
provided nutrition.
Then weather changed,
it succumbed to the stress
and pigment profile shifted.
Now, xanthophylls and tannin,
dominated the scene.
The leaf's role was complete —
and it was cast off.
It will soon dry,
to crunch under feet,
or degrade into the soil.
But before that perishing,
it is enchanting me —
like a master artist
with it's stunning canvas.
In such mindfulness,
and nature appreciation.
my life feels meaningful.
And I encourage you
to pay attention too.
Note: It's a Brisbane Box tree leaf, from Myrtaceae family.
About the Creator
Seema Patel
Hi, I am Seema. I have been writing on the internet for 15 years. I have contributed to PubMed, Blogger, Medium, LinkedIn, Substack, and Amazon KDP.
I write about nature, health, parenting, creativity, gardening, and psychology.
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Comments (5)
What a great botany lesson on leaves for all grade levels. Good job.
You are so good at what you do. I always love and enjoy your work ♦️♦️♦️♦️
I especially loved the idea of the leaf cooking for the plant!
I love how you turned a fallen leaf into something so meaningful, especially when you said “it is enchanting me — like a master artist with its stunning canvas” because it reminded me to slow down and really see the beauty in small things. Thank you Seema for this lovely reflection!❤
Very well written, congrats 👏