An October Sunset

i watched nonchalantly at the fading sky,
a deep navy color flooded the above,
heavy with night,
and a soft orange,
the last bright color shooting from the sinking sun,
rested on the tops of the darkening trees.

it was the time of day where the sky changes
from a vast dreaming blue
to an utter blackness dusted with pricks of white light.

wind fluttered around me,
sending a silent chill through my body.
it was late october and the nip of the autumn cold
was starting to overwhelm,
the nature around me
trees were losing its vibrant, healthy green
and began turning shades
of burnt orange and deep red.

everything felt more awake,
 with the cold settling in and taking its role,
the role that came after the blistering heat,
but all at the same time,
everything couldn't feel more dead.

a crippled yellow leaf,
creased with aged brown,
flew around my feet,
not quite landing,
before the october wind swept it up
flinging it towards the sun that was almost completely gone,
night taking its place.

i watched the last few colors of the sun
play with the threatening darkness of night,
until all was quiet,
and all was black.

letting only the soft light
from the stars, trickle down
through the maples to show where i was going,
and where i had been.