Leaves

The leaves are no longer of
Their colorful hues-
It was only last week that they
Adorned the trees.
It was only last week
That I wept, silently before your passing.

. Barren trees intertwine,
Reaching out with their branches to
Form a bridge under which to
Cry away all of my tears,
Over the leaves that have died-
And now lie in a helpless, heap upon the ground,

If only I could see you for just one more time,
I would have collected those leaves,
Before they turned brown and
Disintegrated into ground, and I would have
Made you some kind of garland
Donning wild berries and
Perhaps a chrysanthemum, or a marigold, as well…

If I could have seen you just one more time,
I would have been a little more thoughtful,
Smiled more often, been of more help and been there for you when
You needed me.

I would have tried to look up into the sky,
And searched for the sun, forsaken dark ominous thunderclouds, and
Waited for you to dance with me in the rain,
Remember how I ws as a child, not swimming but
Just splashing about in the pond near our home,
Or delighting in the rain as it poured into my cupped hands,

I have wondered at times
If it had not been for all of the trials that I put you through,
You may have lived longer?
These are things I just do not know, although
I cried when I read the letter you wrote me
Inscribed upon yellow, lined paper.
That is the one moment I shall forever treasure,
For after reading your words,
I knew that your love was mine.

I reflect on the any times
We took walks in the park, beneath
That bridge formed by branches intertwining.
Collecting autumn leaves to
Bring home with us to
Press and then decorate our home
As we drank hot apple cider,
And listened to holiday music.

Perhaps if I could
Somehow treasure that letter,
Keep it close by at all times,
It would be like having you here, still,
And now I must say that
I feel more of closeness in death to you than I did in living,
Yes in death, closer to heaven, if I such believed…

The rain is falling hard, and
The world seems such a sad place,
Even the trees are weeping away their leaves.
In just about an hour,
As the wind passes through,
Those leaves shall all have been
Washed away by the storm.
Yes in the rain- natures’ tears.

I sit by the ocean now
Watching the ebb and flow,
As your ashes wash to the shore,
They reflect the sun’s rays
On this late autumn day,
As the leaves did on the trees-
Only yesterday…


Claudia Krizay (schizoclaud)