Making a maple blush

We've certainly
not experienced
an early frost
although the days are not
as long
or as warm
but
in the last few days
it has been obvious
that
the maples
that are not already red
are starting to blush

as are the wild grapes

and the sumac

one wonders
whether the changing leaves
have no shame
or sense
of sin
like Hester Prynne
in Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter

or are living testament
that pride must suffer pain
as Andersen's Little Mermaid is told
by her grandmother
when she proposes
to give up her tail fin
her identity
and her life
in the sea
in exchange
for legs
and feet
and the soul
of a tree

or perhaps these blushing leaves
are merely accepting
of the cycle
of the seasons

not forgetting age
and its devastation
but that's not really
in play
with the leaves
as the trees are very much
with the living
or maybe they were
blowing Dixie double four time

showing

it's possible
to have your cake
and eat it too
sitting
on a rock
in the harbour
sunning your tale fin
and resting your scales

before
making another dive
into the arms
of the sea
or some other lover

in advance
of a storm
that puts you off balance
or the killing frost.