Poem – Autumn Fall

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This is the poetry version of my story version of the same theme and title, which was written earlier today at a writing workshop. Creating a shorter version was set on us as a homework project. This is my contribution. Poem – Autumn Fall Lost on a familiar trail, I seek shelter among the trees Finding instead a hatchway highway to elsewhere. I step through from undergrowth to underground Away from the bitter Autumn Breeze But I’m going up instead of down from inside there I look back, but the way I came in can no longer be found. I ascend, hoping I find myself a friend And guiding hands to lead me safely home When the golden stairway comes to an end. I expect, angels harps and pearly gates Only to find other beings who roam Lost and confused – my lack of answers frustrates Them as much as they freak me out As we try to ascertain what it is about One another that looks so familiar No brother looks so similar We are all variations of me Clone-cut carbon copy Dopplegangers from parallel spaces Each one bearing the other one’s faces. Fainting with shock I am taken to bed I wake to more horror seeing many dead Leaves around me raked up for burning The rake reaches me and the gardener is turning He looks right at me, but I fail to amaze Him in revealing our face as he sets me ablaze To martyrs death along with my brothers And Autumn sisters, cousins and mothers. The willow weeps to see her children go It’ll be Spring before our replacements grow. Below the fire, an old metal hatch lid lies Easy to gather the ashes on when the leaf fire dies. Arthur Chappell