Poem for Wookiee
4 years old
you chase leaves
in the warm morning air
before coming over
to place one in my hand
& ask about my eye
who took it
where did it go
will it grow back
like a freshly planted tree
for every question
another leaf
seemingly out of nowhere
like a piece of your soul
all sound gone in this moment
my mouth is dry
beyond explanation
i dance around the question
just another leaf.
About the Author: John Dorsey is the former Poet Laureate of Belle, MO. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including Which Way to the River: Selected Poems: 2016-2020 (OAC Books, 2020), Sundown at the Redneck Carnival, (Spartan Press, 2022, and Pocatello Wildflower, (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2023). He may be reached at archerevans@yahoo.com.
Image Credit: Mary Vaux Walcott “Autumn Leaf” (1872) Public domain image courtesy of Artvee
As It Ought To Be 