A Fall ‘Made-in-China’

Last October I was walking all over It...

Now the leaves come stiff 

cut out of nylon rolls

glued to plastic branches 

and spray-painted desperately to sing

These leaves don’t carry summer's kiss

or bear the caress of spring 

they are manufactured to perfection 

to sit up and not crumble 

to please Insta-people's needs

When my eager hands pick them up

from shelves disguised 

to feel like a walk in the woods 

I weave dreams of my own

And I rely on the memories of 
a wide sweep of a window 

sitting in front of which 

I had once known Fall 

in its manic hues —

the feisty reds

the impatient Bronzes 

the unhurried greens 

the unfettered tangerines...

And therefore I indulge

my stubborn heart 

that doesn’t quite give up 

and would rather have 

a synthetic Fall  

For a token Fall 

after al 
is still better 
than no Fall at all :)