Autumn Leaves

About my 22 year old brother's struggle and eventual defeat from cancer, last year. Not too rhythmic, but neither is cancer.

 

That skull in the mirror

Asks me where those autumn leaves fell.

“At my feet with all of the other strands

That I used to comb in the morning.”

I tell him the same thing as I pull another from his head,

and let him watch it fall

But he never stops asking me

He never stops at all.

 

I came off the island so long ago.

Too bad the hatchet fell on me instead,

and opened me to a black mass on my lung

that leaped out my chest and swallowed the sun.

 

And my angel can hang there,

and let dawn crawl over the horizon,

begging fate's back for another day.

But my strands have still fallen

And I'm still here,

in the mirror,

asking where those autumn leaves fell.

Reviews

[Karen]

It's always so hard to write about the death of a loved one, to somehow put in writing and poetic rhyme the experience and feelings of losing someone, much more losing that person slowly each day. This poem does just that without the drama of poetic theatrics, but of simple imagery and poignant metaphor. The images are beautiful and sad (skull, autumn leaves falling, black mass leaping out of chest and swallowing the sun), and the emotions are tangible but not overpowering in each line. Beautiful poem! Thank you for your writing this personal poem and sharing it with us!

[R J Askew]

I think this is powerful, especially the second verse and 'swallowed the sun'. Autumn leaves falling is very poignant for all of us one way or another...also mirrors. Skull and lungs and falling hair give the poem an air or retreat from life. I put it this way as I had not read the note at the top before I read the poem. Tis a hightly personal piece and captures some of the hard reality of what you witness. So see anyone die of cancer is hard, to see a brother so young is not how things should be.

[Deborah Leah Krempa]

Sadly beautifully written. I lost my mom to cancer so I can relate. You must have loved your brother very much. Thank you for sharing. Debileah

[frogbean]

this is a touching poem. i love it. it is so very sad tho. i am glad that there are people who can show thier emotion so freely.

FrOgBeAn

[An Ordinary Woman]

It is hard for me to know what to say ... this left me with a lump in my throat. I am sorry for the loss of your brother, so young, so sad. The poem is beautiful and tender and heartfelt your love for him evident as is your anguish. Very well penned. It almost seems sacred, yes I think it is sacred. Thank you.

[The Outlaws' Song]

I absolutely love this one. I'll keep it in my library.:)

[Blackbirdsong]

I like the circular feel of this poem, that adds to the sense that this scene has been going on and on and will continue to do with the skull asking the same question for all eternity. I also like that it feels like it was written during the Romantic era, it has that sense of Poe or even Browning. Well done.

[Lady Of Darkness]

And i'm still here,
In the mirror
asking where those autumn leaves fell.

Nice flow.