Stripped

I stare out the window at a young Mountain Ash tree standing in a neighbors yard. The sun bounces off it's glorious leaves of deep reds, and oranges. I think to myself how wonderful it is, a sure sign of beauty in random things.

Later on I look out the window and watch in dismay as my neighbor prematurely strips the tree of every brightly colored leaf. I feel a little sad for the tree. Stripped of it's beauty to early and now standing barren and lonely, a skeleton. While other tree's stand full and proud showing off their autumn leaves. Perhaps the neighbor had a reason for removing all the leaves, but somehow it seems like a crime to have left that tree a skeleton so early in the season.