Leaf

They all gave up, they all fell away,

I pleaded, I begged, but none of them would stay.

The yellows the reds, even a few greens too,

They followed like sheep way down to the goo.

I knew I was different, I knew it all along,

The wind couldn’t force me to fall into the throng.

My grasp is like steel as I cling to the bough,

A solitary figure, like a tractor on the plough.

I haven’t a name, just a pride of place,

High up above, almost in space.

I’m shaken and rattled, and blown till I bend,

But I will not fall to a slushy end.

See them below, how they’re flattened, some choke,

Raked into piles to disappear in smoke.

I shiver at the thought, No! That’s not for me,

I’m quite comfy high up in this tree.

Mother says “Its time, to change things around.”

I’d rather stay here, far away from the ground.

I feel a chill, Jack’s coming to play,

The future sounds bleak, but I’d still rather stay.

Those over there, they never complain,

All spikey and piney, their little ones remain.

Way down there, it looks pretty bad,

My old friends gone… So very sad.

Look! Look at me. I’m the last, all alone,

High up in this branch, a king on his throne.

See the tree it’s so bare, no colour to be seen,

I’ll do it myself, red and yellow even green.

I may be unimportant and not so very big,

But I add a little something to this barren little twig.

The rest they have lost and fallen all away,

Mother, I’m a proud little leaf, please let me stay.