Catalpa's full of yellow leaf
And of these two,
One beside the other,
Enter into frantic dance
Their heavy-hanging peers
Remain without a quiver
As they view this pas de deux,
Bold and unexpected.
At length beyond the trunk
Another leaf has heard the tune
From magic harp so far away.
This leaf then starts a copy,
Emulation as best he could
Of those two dancers' step.
But soon as if embarrassed
By ineptitude,
The convert halts
And then hangs down a leafy head.
In autumnal hills beyond
The mystic music stops
As suddenly as when the dance began
Throughout the leaf community
Those that neither danced
Nor ever celebrated,
Those that gave as evidences
Of hearing rhythm from afar
By the thousands hung
Content as ever without motion.
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I found this poem written in pen and ink in a loose leaf notebook, which I didn't even know about until after Ben died on Good Friday, 2012.. I love them and am happy to share them with you. with love, annie in memphis
I wish I could have found a photo of leaves dancing, but I know you can imagine them....
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