What once shimmered golden above us

What once shivered greenly above us,

the leaves on our beautiful tree,

let them fall where they may,

on the grass lush and green,

or on the sidewalk to be trampled

by oblivious shoes

but do not hold a rake or broom,

resist the urge to pile,

collect,

trash, or burn

what once shimmered orange red above us

as wind whispered incoherently,

as wind whispered things that cannot be translated

rustling when the leaves were still barely clinging

over grass kept lush, green, short

since no one wants weeds or the many things

that can hide in a lawn

let them fall, let them lie

and some will fall on the sidewalk

where anyone steps, with oblivious feet

the rest land on the grass

kept green, kept short

(since no one one wants weeds or the many things that can hide in a lawn)

a soft place to land, so resist the desire

do not get the rake out to pile

to collect

to toss or burn

what once shivered golden above us

-12/02/08