Gathering Leaves
By Robert Frost
Spades take up leaves
no better than spoons,
And bags full of leaves
are as light as balloons.
They make a great noise
of rustling all day
like rabbit and deer
running away.
But the mountains I raise
elude my embrace
flowing over my arms
and into my face.
I may load and unload
again and again
Till I fill the whole shed
and what then?
Next to nothing for weight
and since they grew duller
from contact with earth
next to nothing for color.
Next to nothing for use
but a crop is a crop
and who's to say where
the leaves shall stop.
The leaves above are from a Judas tree, that exists for the time being, at a park and ride in the El Dorado County town of, Ione, California. You may remember me mentioning Ione, when I post about one of my favorite spooky places ever, Preston Castle. Anyway, it has been one of the best sources I have had for finding autumn color in a safe place, and by that, I mean as a place easy to get to, off the road, and not too far into the Sierra foothills. But the last couple years it has become more and more apparent that the town of Ione would rather watch these trees die, than give them a little water. I don't live there, so I feel funny about complaining, I don't know what their budget is, I just know my heart hurts for these beautiful trees. The drought has destroyed so much of the beauty of California, and I feel these trees are just one more casualty. Pray for rain in California, or do some positive visualization, or please, if you can, send some hope their way. I don't want to see their beauty lost forever.
Also from the Judas tree...
~Me
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