I walk quickly down to the road
wanting to skip with joy
wanting to run and get it over with
wanting melt, disappear
not having to move on

I wait and wait
fingers tap
toes wiggle
always late on the first day

Finally, the roaring bus
screeches to a stop
breaking my dreams of
running, skipping, melting
once again returning me

*********

I walk down to the road
kicking the leaves
two cars pass
then another
blue, red, yellow

I look to the trees
the newly turning leaves
make me smile
green to yellow
yellow to orange
orange to red, my favorite

They seem to match
my contentment
of being happy where I am
for what I have in my life

The sky is clear
blues, pinks, oranges,
I see the red sun rising over the hills
swarms of little black birds
float carelessly through the colors

But then, the roaring bus
screeches to a stop
pulling me back
returning me

*********


I walk down to the road
and kick the leaves
one car passes
then another
both are gray

I stare up at the trees
my favorite red leaves are gone
they went so fast
sounds familiar

Above the trees are clouds
thin, white, wispy, thin
then, they are gone
so quickly
sounds familiar

Stop it! Slow down!
I stomp on the leaves at my feet
how can one be expected to grow up entirely
in just an instant
suddenly moving on to something else?
I need more time
I’m not finished yet

Then, the roaring bus
screeches to a stop
breaking my thoughts
pulling me back
returning me


*********


I walk down to the road
kicking the leaves
all is quiet
all is dark
no cars pass today

I don’t look to the leaves or clouds
I know they are not there
they left me so fast
like everything else
everything is all just the same

Why did they go so fast?
How do they do that?
Maybe I should too
I don’t want to
but everyone else does

Then, the roaring bus
screeches to a stop
pulling me back
returning me

*********


I walk down to the road
slush sticking to my feet
the driveway is patterned with leaves
piled with snow
just little lumps of white

I look to the trees again
each branch coated in icy snow
almost see through
like a sugar glaze

the leaves and clouds, everyone
slips away so fast for a reason
they have to move on
grow up
change into something
even more beautiful

But then the roaring bus
screeches to a stop
breaking my thoughts
pulling me back
returning me

This time I don’t mind.


*********