The First Fall

Inspired by Billy Collins (The First Dream) and Sisay Desalegan, who upon arriving in England from Ethiopia in the dead of winter, inquired of the taxi driver if there had been a fire that killed all of the trees. "No," he was informed, "here the trees shed their leaves in winter."

At first it must have been curiosity,
even amazement and delight
as the green leaves turned
yellow and red
and whole forests blazed
with color. But
panic set in
when leaves,
at first just a few,
then more
and more

fell

until the limbs were bare and
every twig was visible
against a clear blue sky.
And days shortened,
at first imperceptibly, then
more and more
until darkness was greater
than the light,
and you found yourself
sleeping more
and more and dreaming
of long green days.

Back