By Jo Ann Herbert
I came in the spring
It’s fall now and time for going
Help my body to lie under the Redwoods
right here
on the pile of golden needles
so golden the light, so quiet
yes, right here
don’t worry about the rain
soon I will be gone
turn my palms up
and in them place the seeds for all my birds
spread peanuts in the shell around me
and in my hair
my birds and squirrels and little chipmunks
will join me like always.
See the beautiful blue jays, hear their large wings flap
they’re sitting up above me now
the squirrels running around
the Colors, Look !
bright orange and yellow and red
the flicker now calling for me
Cut some branches of the Redwood
put them all around me
I will be covered
Oh did you see the Color? All the leaves !
A Rainbow spilled across the sky
Can you see it?
Leave open the doors of the house
so the birds can fly in and find the seed
maybe there will be mice
the douglas squirrels and chipmunks let them also find the food
Throw some out to them and all around me too
more for the flickers and blue jays ~
they’re calling out
Can you hear the light rain on the leaves?
dogwood colors drifting down…
Let me be Here, Outside
Under the Redwoods
with birds in my hands
animals trees and color
Look all around
Look, the Rainbow and I am fading
Leave the doors to the house open
for the birds to fly in.
~ Jo Ann Herbert
on the date of the writing, written quickly, all this was true ~ the fall colors so glorious my heart called out, a rainbow appeared and did fade. it was all so brief and beautiful.
