“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower”–Albert Camus
Lest the general levity of this blog give you a false impression of my worldview, let me state that sometimes life sucks. For the most part, I use humor and satire as a defense and an escape, a diversion if you will. This has been an incredibly bittersweet week; I have never experienced anything remotely like it. My last post was Freshly Pressed–perhaps the ultimate honor for a WordPress blogger. Yet while this was going on, three people I know died. They were an 82-year-old uncle whose death had been anticipated, a 58-year-old work colleague whose demise was an unexpected shock, and most tragically, the 29-year-old son of one of my poker buddies whose death from illness had been feared for some time.
If you will permit me then, a tribute to these lost souls with the only piece of poetry I ever wrote which I would deem publishable. It’s well over 35-years old–the sort of thing one could only write in one’s youth.
The Leaves
Words ©1976, 2012 Mark Sackler
Sit and look at the leaves,
Amber arms descending from October’s trees.
Covering delicate grasses,
sweeping the highway,
bedding the rain,
Solemn songs to life departed,
Sit and look at the leaves.
The Millennium Conjectures™ 
I think you hit it on the head Mark. Thanks
For sure,Ellie. Whatever works–we all do the best we can.
Sorry for your loss. Be good to yourself.
Thanks Fox, I will. In all honesty, I am feeling mostly for friends and family for their losses.
Beautiful!
Thanks, Donna. Know that Cheryl and I think of you often–your family is beautiful.
Gorgeous poetry. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Emily. I appreciate your stopping by and commenting.
My condolences. Thank you for sharing your thoughts – sometimes connections like these help us to get through and keep on.
Thanks Anne.
I’m sorry for your losses. At least they will live on in the beautiful poem you’ve written.
I actually wrote it in 1976; I couldn’t think of a more appropriate time to finally share it.
I’m so sorry. I hope that in sharing, your sadness will be eased.
Beautiful poem.
Thanks. Enjoying your blog as well.
very moving. The pictures remind me of the place where my dad grew up, in New England. I’m not good at talking about losses and giving condolences, since it’s one of the few things for which there never seem to be the right words; what a masochist I must be to go to funerals…
Rest assured that the “general levity of this blog” did not create a false impression – I can relate to your way of using satire and humor a lot, and a post like this does not come as a surprise. My condolences!
I wish I wanted to cry right now. Watching the leaves
What freaken leaves?
Oh, the ones falling through my head, turning to stones through my heart, on the way down.
Those ones…
like your poem, it captures what i see about leaves and feel about dying.
Thanks. It’s so long ago I wrote it…but I think i was just in awe of the fall colors while looking out the window one October day, and this is what popped out of my head.