Thursday, November 09, 2006

Something Old ~ Something Ne...Older


















Today I went outside to pull a couple of leaves off the tree.
It was cold, so I put on my old itchy sweater,
the one my girlfriend gave me, that belonged to her Mom.
I tip toed onto the wet grass in my bare feet,
arms out to balance myself just right.
I found my footing right beneath the towering Maple.
Reaching high, I grabbed a leaf that still had some green left.
It didn't want to release its grip from the skinny branch,
attached to a bigger branch, a trunk and roots in the ground.
When it gave way, the pulling sent down all the leaves
that were ready to let go, the ones that were done, old.
They came tumbling over my head, shoulders and feet.
In my hand was the slightly green leaf that I forced
and surrounding my sphere were the hundreds
who would have willingly let me pick them.

Staring at and holding it, in both my hands
I thought this leaf was much like myself.
I looked up into the sky and said outloud,
"I'm not ready to let go either, I'm still grafted
to the Branch and I have some green left too."
I brought the leaf indoors to be pressed inside my journal;
the least I could do after what I had done.
I wrote the word 'me' on it before closing it away,
and whispered, "Press me somewhere special too."

16 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh how sweet. I hope you are feeling well today. You are like a bright shiny green leave!! I think I could just read what you write all day long. Could you please write a book? What do you think, yes? It would be so very good I just know it.

(((hugs))) Teresa
Oh yeah. I love that sweater!

10:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pressing you close to my heart.

I'd have like to see you on tiptoe out there under the maple; I'm suprised you didn't go tumbling too when the not-ready-to-be-picked leaf let go ;-)

xoxo Star

11:04 AM  
Blogger Deb R said...

You always make me smile and go "aaaahhhhh." Beautiful words, beautiful photos, beautiful you.

12:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How do you do this Darlene?
Your words are channelled through such a pure place.
Take a piece of me and hide me in a special notebook too and I'll do the same for you :-)

x x x x x x x

12:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

oh, sweetie...

i felt a little teary when i got to the end of your post. i hope you're okay...such a beautiful beautiful piece of writing.

you have enough room in my heart to bloom and grow and stretch out.

i'm going to email you soonsoon.

p.s. and we all have our journeys to go on, right? you're with me on mine and i'm with you on yours. faithfully.

1:04 PM  
Blogger Shaz said...

Smile-Tears-Goosebumps

The leaves may have have fallen but you lift us higher than the tallest tree with your words of grace and wisdom.
Blessings and Prayers
Sweet Friend of mine
Love xoxox

1:38 PM  
Blogger Kim G. said...

What a lovely picture. Pulled, pressed, dropped, yes - I'm feeling that - but also, like you, that I'm not done growing yet. The Creator is so cool to let us experience so much of who we are in the creation that surrounds us. This time of year is espcially revealing.

Thanks for sharing this!

2:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is beautiful...

3:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You word Goddess *you* !!
I LOVE you.
I will call you this weekend.
Missing you so much!!
Bx

3:45 PM  
Blogger Lisa Oceandreamer Swifka said...

it's a rare event when I am speechless but this has rendered me so. YOU have such impact!
XOXO

7:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Indeed, you do have SO MUCH green left in you. The image created here is amazing. Even more amazing is that fact that you actually experienced these insightful and truthful moments this morning. Your eloquence and poetic method of sharing them is astounding.

xoxoxox

8:17 PM  
Blogger JP (mom) said...

That sweater looks like the one's my grandmother knit when she was alive - so many memories. What a lovely bit of poetic prose ... press me somewhere special too... ah, sweet Darlene, your heart is pressed into my soul. xo, d

10:54 PM  
Blogger Vanessa said...

You're making a habit of moving me, you know.
:)
V

9:11 AM  
Blogger Georgia said...

The magic you spin with words and in other peoples lives without even trying... it is phenominal :)

love to you.

xoxoxox
Georgia

4:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you are pressed in a very special place that is in my heart!

11:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

pressed into my soul now and forever...

5:34 AM  

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