Leave have been used away from nature to cover Adam and Eve (fig leaves), decorate Roman columns (acanthus) and to advance Christian thought (holly and ivy). Leaves tell us stories, as must leaves in a book. In autumn, green leaves turn to flaming colours of reds and yellows. New shoots and new beginnings turn to feelings or melancholy and change. Here, Robert E. Jackson delves into his incredible collection of vintage photographs and shares snapshots on the theme of leaves. As ever, let’s imaging the stories between…
“Come, little leaves,” said the Wind one day, “Come to the meadows with me and play. Put on your dresses of red and gold; For Summer is past, and the days grow cold.”
― George Cooper, Come, Little Leaves
The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold– Autumn Leaves, Nat King Cole
“It was one of those early November mornings that are as beautiful as any in spring. There was gold everywhere, drifts of it on the elm tree, flakes of gold under our feet, gold dust on the hedges, liquid gold in the refracted falling light.”
― Elizabeth Goudge, The Dean’s Watch
Why do you whisper, green grass?
Why tell the trees what ain’t so?
Whispering grass, the trees don’t need to know– Whispering Grass (Don’t Tell the Trees), The Ink Spots
Oh, it’s a long, long while from May to December
But the days grow short
When you reach September
When the Autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
One hasn’t got time for the waiting game– Frank Sinatra, September Song
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”
– Genesis 3:7
Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
‘Neath the cover of October skies
And all the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow
You know I’m tryin’ to please to the calling
Of your heartstrings that play soft and low– Van Morrison, Moondance
“It seemed as he had been falling for years. Fly, a voice whispered in the darkness, but Bran did not know how to fly, so all he could do was fall.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
We’ve lots more from Robert E. Jackson on the site. And you can follow him here for more great stuff.
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