Burnt Sienna

By Jim Bates

Fall was her favorite season. Smiling and happy she walked woodland trails collecting leaves and weeds and grasses. She enjoyed the feel of nature in her hands she liked to say, especially the colorful leaves.

Sometimes she’d take him along, holding his tiny hand gently like she held her collections. He’d follow her lead picking and choosing among the fall foliage. Like she did, he enjoyed gathering leaves the most, marveling at their beauty: red and orange and her favorite, burnt sienna. Those were special moments in that long ago time, treasured for their simplicity.

An old man, now, he walks those same trails and marvels at how so much has changed, yet, in the same breath, so little. Like the scent of fall in the air: woodsmoke wafting on the breeze, the moldy aroma of decay, the calling of geese flying overhead, everything bringing to mind all that was good in those past times with his mom.

He walks alone but not really. She always joins him during those fall rambles, walking along beside him, beguiling him with that fall palate she loved so much. Especially her favorite color, burnt sienna, nestled in among the vibrant hues of orange and red and golden-yellow, drawing him ever forward, touching his soul through nature’s gift of color. Burnt sienna. Her favorite color. And still after all these years his too.

Jim lives in a small-town twenty miles west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. His stories and poems have appeared in over three hundred publications. “Resilience,” a collection of twenty-seven short stories was published by Bridge House Publishing. “Periodic Stories” and “Periodic Stories Volume Two” were published by Impspired. A dystopian adventure novella “Something Better” was published by Dark Myth Publications. “Short Stuff” a collection of flash fiction and drabbles was published by Chapeltown Books. His story “Aliens” was nominated for the 2020 Pushcart Prize. His story “The Maple Leaf” was selected Non-Poetic Publication of the year by the readers of Spillwords. www.theviewfromlonglake.wordpress.com.