My friends and I just hung around

in places one might find profound -

on Maples, Oaks and other trees -

because, you see, we were mere leaves.

The autumn winds, oh how they blew.

They made us dance and wiggle too.

Deception's lie rode in the wind

had made us 'want' and we had sinned.

The bees were buzzing in their hive.

It wasn't fair they were alive.

It wasn't fair that we weren't free

for we were stuck here on this tree.

But then my friends had found, one day,

just how to ride a special way.

They laughed and giggled by and by -

upon the wind.  How they could fly!

So gaily and so selfishly,

they joked around so carelessly.

Exciting times, it seemed they had.

They thought it funny they were bad.

My friends had left me one by one,

but wicked winds are never done.

"Come join the party we will throw."

They taunted me and screamed, "Let go!"

Except for me, the tree was bare

and I was so alone up there.

The windy, frigid swirling air

had tortured me.  It didn't care.

Oh yes, temptation had its grip -

but I held on despite the whip

of winds that howled around the limbs.

For I had faith and gospel hymns.

I prayed and prayed to God above,

for He had shown me so much love.

My friends had fallen - didn't know

they now were buried under snow.

The moral of the story here?

Don't be deceived by what you hear.

But listen to God's still, small voice.

He gave His Son.  We have a choice.

©2014 louis gander