The stillness of the afternoon
Silence a grand symphony
Waterfowl dozing until suppertime
Shades of storms bringing cool
Breezes trickle through trees
Springtime leaves waving hello
Praising light from under canopies
Giving shelter to creatures, rent-free
Memories of morning dew yet linger
Down below a valley lush and full
A river of green, welcoming to all
Leaf was a poem written in a small cabin in north Georgia. The morning was beautiful and perfect in every way. I sat in silence for at least an hour before finally getting up the nerve to try to write something, and Leaf is what came out. Leaf is one of the few poems that I’ve written that exist solely outside of myself. It’s based on observation rather than feeling. I’ve never been very adept at observing things, which makes for difficult writing. In this case, I was able to focus for long enough to see, hear, and smell what was around me. And you know what I found? Life. Life in all its abundance.