Saffron Arc

I gathered four fan-shaped ginkgo leaves from the grass near the park bench, each turned a crisp, bright saffron. Kneeling carefully beside the path, I arranged their slender stems in a tight cluster, fanning the ruffled edges outward until they overlapped into a neat, semicircular rosette. The paper-thin blades wanted to flutter in the gentle breeze, so I braced both hands against a smooth, flat slate chip and slid its weight squarely across the stems. Secured firmly against the stone, the golden arc lay flat and orderly, catching the mellow afternoon light in quiet harmony.