THIS LEAF NOW

This leaf now, falling off God's handiwork, the tree,
Fell gracefully to earth,
Broke free
Majestic mooring's fettering rope -
Left house and home, perhaps in hope,
Finds life a little different now - the dope.

This leaf now, perhaps in pride, cried, 'Leave me - go!'
As it stomped outside,
Fell down slow,
Took everything in its stride -
Lay there grinning self-satisfied,
Thought wind was just for rustling, very nearly died

This leaf now as it found itself blown in the wide,
Wide frightening world,
It wasn't told
That life played rough, a little tough,
It choked, disliked the joke, a feeble croak,
'I wasn't ready - wait! I'm sure somebody's lied!'

This leaf now, come to rest with friends, is not so sure
It knows the rules,
Feels sore,
Wishes for a greater part
In God's grand plan of destiny
(Trouble is in real life nothing comes for free) -

This leaf now, so sad, struggling on, not all that bad,
Finds partner at last,
(Feels glad),
Starts contemplating children
(A little mad) and security,
Appreciates at last the strength of that great tree,

This leaf now - fighting in the ferocious maw of life,
Old troubles fading fast,
Insane strife,
Has no time to dream or think,
The frenzied die repeated cast
Brings it sweating in the night to a fevered brink,

This leaf now: ageing fast, its body bent to dust,
Crumbling, tired, at last
Looks back, reflects,
Remembers where it came from,
Sees where it's going next,
Confirms its hopes and dashes off despair,

This leaf now, nearly free of every worldly care
Considers its brief hour
Well spend there
On the lonely, hardened ground -
Looks sadly, regretfully around,
Is rotted silently to earth without a sound,

This leaf now ....
What happened in that brief and trembling flight
From tree to soil,
What grand Might
Arranged its little trip,
And was it fun, and did it slip?
Who knows? There's only silence
In which a dull wind blows ...