Leaves Don't Wait

Third October
Your white mug near the door

Your coat hook's bare beside the back door
I still turn when floorboards cry
Your white mug waits above the sink
Handle chipped on one small side
The road outside turns copper first
The church bell keeps its stubborn time
Everybody says the season moves
I say I'm doing fine

I can stack the wood and mend the gate
I can't make a maple wait

Leaves don't wait beneath the amber glow
They leave the limb before the first snow
Your white mug waits beside the window
The leaves don't wait, but I stay still

Second fall, I wrapped the mug
In the Sunday grocery sack
Drove it to the giveaway
Then circled twice and took it back
Even the dog quit checking cars
The river carried off the rain
I set that cup above the sink
And called retreating keeping faith

Leaves don't wait beneath the amber glow
They leave the limb before the first snow
Your white mug waits beside the window
The leaves don't wait, but I stay still

Third October, five-oh-two
The donation door clicked shut
Your mug sat in a grocery sack
Both my hands stayed on the truck
One maple leaf struck the windshield
Then slipped clean out of view
For once, I let a small thing leave
Before it had to teach me

Leaves don't wait beneath the amber glow
They leave the limb before the first snow
Your white mug left in the giveaway
Leaves don't wait; I took the road today

I drove on today
Still hurt
Still whole
Leaves don't wait