Felling leaves on falling trees

These Autumn Days

Fall brings onslaughts
of daydreams back to this time-- last year's this time,
Soft remnants of distant memories I keep ever-close,
cherished like the most valuable treasure

Pausing to find a quiet moment to reflect
I think back to the days that happened so seemingly long ago
A world away
Hardly stirring, I hardly stir...
Daring not even to breathe; I find that I am not;
As if even the slightest breath would muddy the memories
So as to not be as exact and whole
As my mind has preserved them
Like stirring the silt at the bottom of the pond
Clouding up the water

No, these memories are left perfect; untouched;
Thought about in these quiet moments of fall
Bidding the time until I once again see you
Like I did last year.

---

you being in love... (XII) by E. E. Cummings
you being in love
will tell who softly asks in love,

am i separated from your body smile brain hands merely
to become the jumping puppets of a dream? oh i mean:
entirely having in my careful how
careful arms created this at length
inexcusable, this inexplicable pleasure-you go from several
persons: believe me that strangers arrive
when i have kissed you into a memory
slowly, oh seriously
-that since and if you disappear

solemnly
myselves
ask "life, the question how do i drink dream smile

and how do i prefer this face to another and
why do i weep eat sleep-what does the whole intend"
they wonder. oh and they cry "to be, being, that i am alive
this absurd fraction in its lowest terms
with everything cancelled
but shadows
-what does it all come down to? love? Love
if you like and i like,for the reason that i
hate people and lean out of this window is love,love
and the reason that i laugh and breathe is oh love and the reason
that i do not fall into this street is love."