Carried Away
by Maralee Gerke

Clouds jostle one another as if there is not
enough sky to hold them.
They ride the edge of winter
east toward the Ochoco mountains.

Along the empty streets
guttered leaves lie
like ribbons of faded patchwork
swirled into quilted patterns.

A glimmer of sun flickers
between the greedy clouds and
I shiver at the certainty
of the long cold season ahead.
I want to take wing,
turning cartwheels in the wind
spinning away like a leaf, before
the coming season can capture me.

 

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