The air is chilly

reminding me that autumn is finally here

The small new cottonwood saplings

Dot my backyard

Seem unprepared for this sudden shift in seasons

The leaves of the bigger trees shake in the breeze

Sounding like rain on a roof or applause

But the little saplings don't shake their leaves

They just sway

Too small to make you think of noises with grandeur

With impending chill and moisture

I return to the comfort of my home

But not before I think of how great those saplings will one day be

How they will add to the sounds of the wind.