Monday, October 23, 2006

October Leaves

The wind rolls their corpses
under tires in driveways,
it’s not suicide, nor murder,
they’re already dead.

No pity for them...
what’s the point?

Broken blades,
petioles too dry to take a drink.

October’s the month for leaves,
a year ago today
you backed out of my life.

26 comments:

Margie said...

I like this very much Pat!
I just posted one on October too!

jel said...

I love the sound that the dry leaves make when you drive though them :)

Than ks Pat!

Kai said...

:-]

Catch said...

Thank you for visiting and commenting on my blog. I like the way you describe the leaves, I have about a million of them in my front yard! very nice!

Inconsequential said...

Cool images.
I love the dying time of year :)

tammy said...

pat, this is wonderful. the way the dead leaves remind us of a relationship that died. the ending stanza is so very powerful.

MB said...

The way I read it, the whole poem hinges on the last line, which makes it very powerful and moving!

dsnake1 said...

Ditto mb!
power in that last stanza.

polona said...

great, pat! need i say i love the ending :)

Anonymous said...

Leaves, leaves, lovely leaves!

Tongue in Cheek Antiques said...

the last line.
May spring come soon to your heart.

Anonymous said...

it’s not suicide, nor murder,
they’re already dead. a year ago today you backed out of my life.

Wow what a powerful and thought proking poem.

As always

:)

J.B. Rowell said...

Stunning ending - wow - the short, to-the-point lines lead right up to the pow. And the "tires in (on?) driveways" connects well to the "backing out" Nicely done!

Anonymous said...

ha! love it, pat.

Masago said...

"backed out of my life" says it all.
--> Another one for the book, my friend.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

Oh, the ending is wonderful!!!

Plus Ultra said...

you went astern on my life, sorry could not resist that, backing in Malaysian is something like gostung....lovely as usual, Pat

Russell Ragsdale said...

BAM! A slam dunk riding on a pun for a WOW endidng!

C... said...

backed out... fell out... from the trees - separation.

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

This hit me like boulders in the gut-bitterly poignant

Borut said...

Powerful! I love Octobers. Yet, almost invariably, a sense of deep emptiness gets hold of me - as if somebody has just backed out of my life.

Anonymous said...

your write with so much vividness

gautami tripathy said...

I feel that way about my dead feelings.

Tikkis said...

October is the cruellest month?
A good poem, and the last line, (as from a tsehovs novel?) - thanks!

Pat Paulk said...

Thanks Margie!! Abeautiful poem it is too!!

Janice they are a bit crunchy!!

Thanks Kai!!

Catch, twas my pleasure!!

Inconsequential, I prefer the Spring, but waking up everyday is a good thing, no matter what season.

Thank you Tammy!!

MB, it does hinge on the last line. Thank you!!

Thanks Dsnake!!

Thanks Polona!! Need I say how much I love the comment...

Joyce no matter how you define them!!

TIC, thanks for the well wishes. This poem, as some do, took on a life of it's own.

Thanks Whisper!!

Julia, I used "in" because we more commonly drive "in" the driveway, or the vehicle is "in" the driveway. "On" I'm sure is more correct and probably works better. But, that was the thought process. Thank you!!

Senile, I'm sure I'm posting this too late for you to remember why, but thank you, anyway!!

Thanks Vaughn. Yep, put it in my 3 ring binder!!

Thanks Andrew!!

Thanks Plus!! Better than overboard, nautically speaking!!

Punny comment Russell!! Thanks!!

C, yep!!

Thanks Sue!!

Borut, I'm a Spring man myself. I prefer thing blooming and ALIVE!!

Thanks Mandy!! Not as vivid as your paintings!!

Gautami, sounds like they need raking up.

Tikkis, thanks for coming by. It is, especially, when it lets Winter get a jab or two in!!

floots said...

superb
cheers