origami cranes:

origami cranes

hang from a silver thread

in your window,

standing guard all night long

crisp lines folded carefully

by small hands

with all of the hope in the world

it seems so very long ago

the summer fades into autumn

silent like the change in the breeze

whispering in the trees

a little cooler now, a little more insistent

like the coolness creeping

into your lonely heart

but you don’t notice

you’re too busy wishing on falling stars

and you’re dreaming of a hero,

of paper cranes taking flight

to sweep down and pick you up

and carry you off into the night

the leaves are falling now,

the frost is settling in

winter is so long and cold

like every night in your empty bed

but spring’s thaw holds no promise

so you burrow yourself

deeper under the covers

to wait it all out

the seasons slip by and fall away

your origami cranes fade with age

but you’re still dreaming of a hero

and watching the sky for shooting stars

summer fades into autumn

silent like the change in your heart

and all of the flowers outside

of your window are wilting

you’re wilting with them too