More foliage poems. This time, haiku. As a teacher, I used this form to introduce students to the power and use of metaphor and to ease them into writing poetry. But now, I love the simplicity of it for my own writing, when a glimpse of something moves me or a stray thought comes and bangs around in my head. Many poets use haiku as a warm-up exercise for a day of writing. I don’t write on any schedule, so for me, it’s just another form that fits certain subjects.

This one came after a rainy walk:

Gold leaves of Autumn
Face down on wet, black asphalt.
Such a fall from grace.

And this one, after 9/11:

Leaves fall one by one,
In pairs, threes. Windblown flurries.
Some hold hands and jump.