Were you there?

Were you there when they hauled my leaves away?

the last abdication of autumn

The ones that held on longest

remained loyal tethered to a branch

when all the others fled

If I had been there when they

came with a beeping dump truck

I would have gathered the leaves they missed

and made sure they were hauled away

Instead, I wait upon the mercy of wind and rain

to deposit what remains somewhere else

And patiently await my inheritance

from a house that abstains from raking

and believes God will wash his leaves away

1-31-20