How Everything Turns (Poem)

How Everything Turns

How everything turns
away — the leaf

from the tree,
a whorl readying

for fall's striptease;
the bird

from the nest
the eagle poached,

that single feather,
ruffled, left behind;

the messenger
from the recipient

who knows no good
news comes

with the unmistakable knock
on the door;

the sender
from the letter

read accidentally,
the words he confessed

but claimed he'd not meant;
the face

from the gaze chilled
with the words

spoken with a hand curled in
on its own goodbye.

© 2011 Maureen E. Doallas

My audio recording of the poem:

 Audio Recording of How Everything Turns by mdoallas