How does one phrase the language of loss, or the language of another beginning? This has been a remarkable week of beautiful weather, the loss of my mother and the loss of Ashley's mother and the gain of Ashley! His little new life has been a great comfort to me and I have enjoyed the videos of him and Jenifer's blog. It was Jenifer's whispering 3:00 am love that awakened me again also. So, it is to my mom and to Ashley that I dedicate the following poem.

Closing Leaves

When Autumn leaves
Close the sky
And thoughts of you
Are transient impressions
I'll find a place
Of blossoming
A spare hour of content
With a new Donkey spent.
You'll need no introduction
To the lilacs in the Spring
You'll come delicately walking
Down the hill
Cropping violets as you move
Two new knowing eyes you'll have
To watch the moon's smile in the water
Dancing a new Donkey dance
A magic that you hold.
So when the time of lilacs come
I'll think of this full moon
When your love became
A hundred leaves
Flowering at the edge
Of memories' woods.