"The First Fallen Leaf" (Spillwords Prompt)

 

http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/      

https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44

 (PINTEREST PHOTOS)

 

 

 "THE FIRST FALLEN LEAF"

   I found myself sitting on the old
   wooden park bench
In my old quaint neighborhood
Peering through oversized sunglasses 
   and sipping a mocha latte,
   watching the world go by
Like a lone wolf, or perhaps a frightened lamb
Yet I remained true to who I am 
The clouds overhead reminded me
That some things never change
They blended in with the grey sky
   and hid a few secrets of their own
But they remained the same
Like the people, places and things I know
Who all tell similar tales of woe

As the wind picked up
I raised the huge collar of my beige raincoat
To simply keep the wind  
   from whistling in my ears 
   and thrashing down my neck…
A raindrop or two sprinkled my nose
So what! What the heck!
Even the pigeons continued to peck!
Suddenly, out of nowhere,
   an autumn leaf, just one, made an appearance 
It swayed to and fro
   upon the wings of the autumn breeze
Then it gracefully fell into my lap
   and looked up at me with its crisp smile
   and put my mind at ease

Donning a brilliant reddish-golden hue 
It whispered to me that some things do change
So I gazed up at the huge tree from where it came 
…Just one lonely leaf; The First Fallen Leaf
   showed me things are never the same 
It chose me today, I am proud to say 
   as it fell into my lap just to say “hello”
I was thankful it interrupted my thoughts 
It begged to tell me things I needed to know
I listened intently and embraced its autumn glow
Then a swift wind thrust this exquisite leaf
   from my lap onto the ground below!
I tried desperately to drag it back to me
   with the sole of my shoe, but it set itself free
My elusive leaf tumbled in the relentless wind
   leaving me behind as I sadly grinned
It hurt so bad to say good-bye
This lone leaf brought a tear to my eye
…then I watched as the wind lifted it higher
I watched it dance in the air
It seemed so dire
Until it fell upon the lap 
   of a sweet elderly lady so fair 
I know it is rude, but I just had to stare

I gasped as she grasped it so tightly
   and placed it in her pocket
I hoped she might preserve it in a special locket
Perhaps she needed this leaf more than I
I was a bit jealous, I cannot lie
She captured it quite wisely, I must say
May she be truly blessed on this Autumn day
I secretly blew a kiss into the wind
and said good-bye to this First Fallen Leaf
   who managed to erase all of my grief
   who taught me a lesson in life today
Through its reddish-golden hue 
   it showed me the way
Yes, it was time for me to change
So I removed my cell phone from my purse
   and memorized those words I did rehearse
And called my Dad just to say 
   “I love you”
And hoped he’d feel the same way too

We had argued several weeks before
   over nothing at all
Nothing that mattered anyway
We argued just because…
And I simply stayed away
Dad was thrilled to hear from me
I heard it in his voice
…So I left the park; I knew I made the right choice
   and I left that wondrous leaf behind
Promising to cherish it in kind
Then I headed over to Dad’s favorite bakery
I chose each pastry with reverie
I selected a small cheesecake that called out to me
It was decorated with one Fallen Leaf 
Like the one I set free

I know today will remain a fond memory
Dad and I can discuss it over chamomile tea…
To think The First Fallen Leaf led me home
   From an old wooden park bench
   where I was sitting alone…

"A Halloween Secret in the Attic" (Halloween Spillwords 2026)

 

http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/      

https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44

 

MY SISTER AND I HAVE A TALE TO TELL

SOMETHING WE’VE HIDDEN SO VERY WELL

IF THE YEARS COULD SPEAK OF A SECRET WE KEPT

MY PARENTS WOULD SURELY HAVE SADLY WEPT

 

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG GIRLS

QUITE INQUISITIVE TO THE HILT

WE WERE SUMMONED TO THE ATTIC

AND WE OBLIGED WITH DEEP GUILT

 

FOR MOM AND DAD HAD NO CLUE

AND WE WEREN’T SURE WHAT TO DO

BUT WE DISOBEYED THEIR WARNINGS

AND BIT OFF MORE THAN WE COULD CHEW

 

THEY FORBADE US TO VISIT THE ATTIC ALONE

THEY SPOKE IN THAT SERIOUS ADULT-TONE

THEY SAID IT WAS DUSTY, CLUTTERED AND DARK

AND CALLED IT A HUGE "DANGER ZONE"

 

BUT IT WAS HALLOWEEN NIGHT

MOM AND DAD HAD A DATE

THEY KISSED US GOOD-NIGHT

AND SAID THEY’D BE HOME QUITE LATE

 

DAD DRESSED LIKE A WARLOCK

MOM DRESSED LIKE A WITCH

THE DOOR SLAMMED BEHIND THEM

WE THEN LAUGHED AT HIGH PITCH…

 

YES, OUR HALLOWEEN SECRET

WAS STRAIGHT OUT OF A DREAM

WE BOTH HEARD “THE VOICE”

WE BOTH LET OUT A SCREAM

 

WE BOTH SHOOK IN OUR BEDS

THIS PAST HALLOWEEN MORN

WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DREAMING

OF SWEET CANDY CORN

  

…“COME UP TO THE ATTIC TONIGHT, SWEETPEAS

THE KEY IS UNDER THE DOORMAT - AND COME ALONE PLEASE!

YOUR PARENTS WILL BE OUT OF SIGHT TONIGHT

SO COME AND JOIN ME IN SOME HALLOWEEN DELIGHT!”

 

…HAND IN HAND, WE CLIMBED EACH WOODEN STAIR

POSSESSED, WE HEADED TO THE DEVIL’S LAIR

WE GRABBED THE KEY FROM UNDER THE DOORMAT

BEING EVER SO CAREFUL NOT TO WAKE UP THE CAT

 

WE TURNED THE KEY IN THE KEYHOLE WITH EASE

THE DOOR OPENED SLOWLY AND “THE VOICE” YELLED “FREEZE!”

THE DARKNESS HUNG OVER US LIKE A THICK CLOUD OF SMOKE

AND THAT EERIE VOICE BELLOWED, AND LOUDLY SPOKE

 

IT DEMANDED WE ENTER, AND SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND

WE MUST BE INSANE! - THIS VOICE WAS NOT VERY KIND

WE HELD ONTO EACH OTHER AS TIGHT AS COULD BE

THEN A CLOSET DOOR OPENED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE

 

A DIM LIGHT ILLUMINATED TWO COSTUMES FOR US

“THE VOICE” SAID GET DRESSED NOW AND DON’T MAKE A FUSS

AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE NEEDED TO LEAVE

BUT “THE VOICE” WOULDN’T HAVE IT; WE WANTED TO HEAVE

 

WE PUT ON THE COSTUMES UNWILLINGLY

TWO PRINCESSES CRYING CHILLINGLY

“PRETTY IN PINK” ONE MIGHT SAY

BUT TONIGHT IT FELT SINISTER IN EVERY WAY

 

SUDDENLY THE ROOM WAS ALL AGLOW;

    PURPLE CANDLES STEALING THE HALLOWEEN SHOW

“THE MONSTER MASH” SONG BOUNCED OFF EVERY WALL

SHADOWS AND SILHOUETTES STOOD QUITE TALL

THEY DANCED ABOUT, AT THIS “HALLOWEEN BALL”

 

MY SISTER AND I WERE LOST IN THE HAZE

HOPING TO MAKE IT OUT OF THIS HALLOWEEN MAZE

EACH CORNER OF THE ATTIC SANG ITS OWN SONG

WITH GHOSTS AND GOBLINS THAT DIDN’T BELONG

  

THIS WAS OUR SPACE, WHERE OUR “SECRETS” WERE BORN

THIS HALLOWEEN NIGHT LEFT US FORLORN

AND THERE WAS THAT EERIE VOICE, ALL OVER AGAIN

SOUNDING LIKE A TRAGIC HALLOWEEN HEN

  

“THE VOICE” OFFERED US A SIP OF WITCH’S BREW

WE’D RATHER HAVE A TASTE OF MOM’S HALLOWEEN STEW

THEN OUT OF NOWHERE A HAND DID APPEAR

PRESENTING US WITH CUPS OF SIZZLING HOT CHEER

 

WE ACCEPTED THE GESTURE WITH A FORCED SMILE

GIVING IN TO THE HORROR OF THEIR RUTHLESS GUILE

WE WERE WISE ENOUGH TO DROP THE CUPS TO THE FLOOR

AS WE RAN TOWARDS THE OLD FAMILIAR ATTIC DOOR

 

READY TO LEAVE THIS “HALLOWEEN SECRET” BEHIND

WITH A PINKY-SWEAR, WE AGREED IN KIND

BUT THE JOKE WAS ON US AS WE OPENED THE DOOR

THERE WAS MOM AND DAD ROLLING ACROSS THE HALLWAY FLOOR

 

THEY WERE LAUGHING AND HAVING A GRAND OLD TIME

EATING HALLOWEEN CANDY AND DRINKING RED WINE

THEY NEVER LEFT THE HOUSE TO GO OUT ON A DATE

THEY SIMPLY ORCHESTRATED THESE EVENTS OF LATE

 

THEY HANDED US CUPS OF MOM’S HALLOWEEN STEW

AND WITH THAT EERIE VOICE YELLED “THE JOKE IS ON YOU!”

HOW SAD THAT SISTER AND I HAD NO TALE TO TELL

OUR HALLOWEEN SECRET FELL TO HELL

 

THE ATTIC WAS NOTHING MORE THAN THAT

A SAFE HAVEN FOR ME, MY SISTER  --

AND OUR LITTLE BUDDY, THE CAT

…SO HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO YOU MOM AND DAD!

    …LOVE AND CHEERS TO ALL OUR SPOOKY FRIENDS,

        …WHO WE WILL SEE NEXT YEAR, AS THIS OCTOBER ENDS!

  

“You Are So Curious it is Driving You Insane” (Spillwords Submission)

                                                                                                     (Pinterest Photo)

 

Did you notice it rained on “our” Feast Day?

Did you notice it rained on “their” Feast Day?

No one recognized that “He” found a way

But He did…and now you want to know his name

You are so curious it is driving you insane !

All I can tell you is “He” is in control

And while He rains on our Saints

And spits on our parades

And shoots fire from his fingertips

And tosses diseases our way

You remain oblivious, even while you pray

 

Did you notice it rained on “our” Feast Day?

Did you notice it rained on “their” Feast Day?

Look!  See! He calls out to you and me!

He corrupts our children

They know not who they are

He is so close to them, yet so far

He infiltrates our schools

   as “others” welcome him indoors

He wreaks havoc, as he glides across the floors

He destroys the parties in our Government

They too let him in – and embrace him as a win

 

Did you notice it rained on “our” Feast Day?

Did you notice it rained on “their” Feast Day?

He has a ringside seat to our political woes

“He” laughs at our problems

Because he already knows

He takes joy in our illnesses

Dances on our graves

He destroys our churches

He throws daggers at our crucifixes

While you still ask to know his name

You are so curious it is driving you insane !

 

Have you not figured out the evil one?

The one that teases you with trickery

The one that promises you money and gold

And a magnificent life that is so rich and bold

The one that curses at the God you deny

-         The one you unknowingly uphold!

Yes, that’s the one!

He lures the innocent to the bowels of hell

Spritzes you with perfume that has a rancid smell

But again - You still ask to know his name

You are so curious it is driving you insane !

 

He is the one who sits on a throne

And commends the rapists, the murderers

   and the child molesters, for a job well done

He grants their every wish

All they need to do is follow him,

believe in him, and fuel his fires

They do all of his dirty-work

He just sits back with a glass of wine in hand

   and a sly and cunning smile upon his lips

While you still ask to know his name

You are so curious it is driving you insane !

 

He tells his followers “your wish is my command”

They eat up every word, because it’s easy

They believe in the dark side

Because they follow “his” light

When that light blows out

When they begin to doubt

They pray and call on the God they deny

They are now ready to hear truth versus lie

They are ready to understand “why”

While you still ask to know his name

You are so curious it is driving you insane !

 

The “unholy” know his name so well

They buy whatever “He” chooses to sell

They are those who will destroy us from within

Those who will place our country in sin

They will trade our freedoms

   for an ideology of destruction

     and believe it is right and just

Without question, they feel they must!

For they know not who they trust!

And why do you still ask to know his name

You are so curious it is driving you insane !

 

They, the “unholy”, give their souls to him

   and play his dangerous game on a whim

Proud to serve him with little shame

He is wicked, vile and totally lame

Some of us recognize who this evil one is

Others turn their cheeks while “He” proudly lives

Oh yes - he is jolly, funny, enticing and huge

His favorite color is a deep dark red

He is always bearing gifts; yet is always a step ahead

And you still ask to know his name

You are so curious it is driving you insane !

 

No, he is not Santa Claus, you fool !

He is Satan, and he walks this earth

He is in full control and knows his worth

Don’t be his victim - Pray to the God you deny

Trust in Satan’s Rival who is righteous, omnipotent

-             And will never tell a lie

Cast Satan away before that day you are destined to die!

Maybe now you will finally understand

    who is in full control on our great land

There is no need to ask to know his name

Time to make Satan curious, and drive “him” insane!