Close your eyes.
Frame the motions
of mottled leaf
flip-flopping its distance
from limb to shoe tip.
Have no fear.
This is no test
of your imagination.
It's not even about what you see
or don't.
The leaf falls, not
because of you.
© 2010 Maureen Doallas
_________________________
I wrote this poem for Carry on Tuesday, which each week provides a prompt that participants are to use wholly or partly in an original poem or prose piece.
The prompt for Tuesday, October 12, consists of the opening line of the John Lennon song, "Beautiful Boy": Close your eyes, / have no fear, . . . (A video recording of the song is here.)
To read other Carry on Tuesday contributors' poems or prose for Prompt #74, go here.
:-) Loved this one!
ReplyDeletethe leaf falls
ReplyDeletenot because of you.
i really like that.
I'll come back for this one
ReplyDeleteLovely. So simple, so quietly profound.
ReplyDeleteYou have a Zen koan in there, Maureen.
ReplyDeleteLovely ... and a lovely reminder of our place in the universe.
ReplyDelete"the leaf falls, not because of you..." That is a wry and poignant verse that leaves me wanting to repeat it over and over again.
ReplyDelete..i loved..flip-flopping its distance..and i saw it fall - even if it didn't fall for me..this was beautiful maureen
ReplyDeleteDeep...The mottled leaf image was divine by the way! Nice poem. Looking forward to reading more.
ReplyDeletelove the imagery and the message, time, nature, go on without us.
ReplyDeleteYou write beutiful poems, Maureen. and this one -- well, it's simply breathtaking.
ReplyDeletewe are not the center of the universe...i thought we learned that long ago, but we often forget...nice one shot!
ReplyDeletePowerful message and poignant reminder... 'it's not about me'...
ReplyDeleteWow, extremely clever ending and crystal clear the manner in which your lines prompt the reader to reflect. Profound poem.
ReplyDeleteOthers have said it better, but those last two lines are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThere are some things that should not and cannot be controlled.
ReplyDeleteSo elegantly written...
ReplyDeleteOh wow, this is just beautiful, breathtaking... And a deep lesson in there, perfectly framed. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI was told again today that it is not about me...and then I read this. Nice.
ReplyDeleteI was told again today that it is not about me...and then I read this. Nice.
ReplyDeleteThis message bears repeating ... and you do it so eloquently.
ReplyDeleteA sweet example of autumn imagery.
ReplyDeleteI know I've read this already, and perhaps my 4 year old had distracted my commentary, lol! :)
ReplyDelete~ This is incredibly well done, and that sense in the leaf...no matter what happens, life still goes round and round....you gave this feeling such "life" in these words. Beautiful! ~April
lovely ...the last line a quote in itself "the leaf falls - not because of you" Wonderful...bkm
ReplyDeleteWow! You get lots of comments lol. Congrats on the great poem. Quite a humbling statement there at the end, though it is definitely worth watching the leaf fall, nonetheless. Ciao!
ReplyDeleteGreat One Shot Maureen. Simple but a great message.
ReplyDeleteAnother fabulous one shot Maureen. Love and Light, Sender
ReplyDeletelove the spirits in your words.
ReplyDeleteleaf falls, not because of you,
cool wraping up.
What Nancy said. :)
ReplyDelete