Autumn Recovery

Reflections

This short poem is about renewal and healing. It begins with a fall. The poet identifies himself with the leaves of autumn: I fell down like the leaves / Adrift in an autumn sky. The metaphor is simple, yet much is left unsaid. Is this fall a breakdown, a relapse into addiction, or just a passing wave of sadness? We aren’t told — and that ambiguity allows each reader to project their own reality into the poem.

Seeking answers, the speaker turns to a “blue screen,” which gives him a convenient lie. The phrase refers to display screens — phones, computers, televisions — the ever-present media that offer easy comfort or shallow half-truths. When we’re hurting, these distractions can drown out our pain; however, they can also flood us with false images of success that deepen our despair.

Then comes the turning point: I lifted myself up in autumn / I had no other choice. The poet reveals quiet strength. Nature itself becomes a partner in healing. The crisp air and bracing wind awaken him; the sky’s silent voice replaces the screen’s noise. With this reference to the sky, there is a faint suggestion of a spiritual reality. By the final image — Now the leaves are dancing / Let them rejoice — the poet has regained appreciation for life. An awakened awareness of the world around us becomes a path to recovery.

Affirmation

I find strength within myself to heal, and recognize that nature can be my partner in recovery.