Poem: Fallen Leaf

 

Fallen Leaf

  

tiny flounder, lost from its teat,

postured in mud, doormat for rain.

 

torn edges gaping, or yelling, maybe,

at whatever accident slew the mood.

 

black ribs mimic the frolic of fungus.

the rest an auburn daguerreotype

gutted and splayed by a cat.

 

 a waltz of shadows quibble

over the slick cranberry dapples:

whether the little age spots mock 

or honor solar tears.

 

the leaf, 

it doesn't care

about such lurid audiences,

or the cranberry dapples

or the dying papyrus they distress.

 

more mauled than martyr,

without fanfare or even note,

it settles to dissolve on its puny way,

slumping in leisure into the soil,  fading out

as if coming home.

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3/21 ... fixed another problem ... poem is finally 'okay'

3/19  massive changes  ... poem was awful before... might be still, can't tell ... rarely can

fixed typo ("doesn't care" replaces "does care" ...)