deciduous cottonwoods and aspens—
a Montana cast of thousands—more like
hundreds—maybe tens—
call loud attention to themselves,
wedging in Douglas fir, poking around
and slipping through cedar and pine,
their yellows
clapping, their reds a cheer, all their
leaves hallooing,
the desperate trees themselves about to
bound
from the stage of autumn into tiers of
October sun.
Wait
a minute: nothing so fanciful teaches
truth. Things are not what they seem
if what they seem overreaches
so much. Actually, they’re not applauding
back at us or pushing fir aside, they’re
done,
that’s all—
I mean the leaves. What we’re seeing,
hearing, lauding
is the end of one more season in our
heads, another curtain call
for minds over-kindled by vivid sunbeams.
It just so happens that they most wear
well
in show-stopping glory, dry-leaf
phenomenal farewell.
Moral: Don’t
exaggerate, unless absolutely convenient. Or unless you’re into fables.
Otherwise, speak plain...like:
Goodbye is—goodbye.
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