Monday, February 21, 2011

Raking Oak Leaves on a Windy Spring Day
by Laurie Kolp

The time of rebirth springs
forward as winter’s pallid
vista diminishes. Crunchy
oak leaves litter the yard,
their brown curls spent
into three piles perfect
for jumping. Wispy wind
carries the captives back
home where, like whirlybirds,
they dance gracefully. Back
to square one, I start all
over again at double speed.

8 comments:

Madeleine Begun Kane said...

I like that! And you brought back an ancient childhood memory of swinging on our swingset and jumping off onto a pile of oak tree leaves. :)

Linda H. said...

I like the wording in this one very much.

Laurie Kolp said...

Thank you!

My original copy included jumping into the piles from a swing. Fun times!

James said...

A well captured rite of spring. I like the sense of not minding the work that comes through in this. I just spent a day raking live oak leaves and within 2 days, the yard was filled again.

Laurie Kolp said...

Thanks, James... it's a never ending process in our yard, too.

Michelle said...

Laurie - great poem and great blog. I somehow missed you had this blog.

Laurie Kolp said...

Thanks for stopping by, Michelle!

Unknown said...

Actually, Laurie, oak leaves are my barometer of the wind chill factor!
Our neighbours have oak trees and they blow down to our place on windy days--like those curly little leaves!
Patricia