Once upon a forest,

         a leaf fell.

And none that saw,

         saw very well.

However sky

         and cloud with rain,

Could not raise

         the leaf to branch again.

 

Birds may squander

         the right to fly,

And call their rapture

         with a joyous cry.

But no chancemute leaf

         should ever fall

With so much as a whisper

         or faintest call.

 

Over once a forest flew

         A bird whose call swift silent grew.

Leaf, aground, could not say

The anguish found in bird at play.

Voice bird could not speak

To the happy laughter of the creek.

Creek run only where earth allow.

Earth is still most silent now,

Silence upon the forest autumns now to tell

Where once upon a forest a leaf fell.

 

                                                                                

Spring 1989