A Peasant amid the Royalty

A single brown oak leave
perched in the purple chrysanthemums
in the window box outside the back door
A peasant drawing attention, pulling the eye
in contrast to the plum of the flowers
the fading green before the killing frost
A bit of jetsam forestalling the final fall
to the earth, sharing the limelight
with the stars of the show,
snuck on stage, before security comes
and it falls finally to earth
to merge with its compatriots
in a sea of leaves
amid the garden’s flowers

November 1, 2007 2:00pm