book on plants, 1542 (Wellcome Images)‘Leave’: A Poem by Martin Elster The Society August 27, 2024 Beauty, Children's, Poetry 9 Comments . Leave Above the land, suspended, green and grand and splendid, we furnish food for trees, whisper with the breeze till cold winds bluster in and we turn harlequin. Now that we’re on the ground, you tote your toys around, which scrape us up or, roaring, send us whirling, soaring. Yes, now that we are dead, you have it in your head that we must disappear— and year on turning year that all of us must go to be replaced by snow. . . Martin Elster (born 1954) is an award-winning poet with a background in rhythm as a percussionist with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Martin has won four Pushcart nominations as well as Best of the Net and prizes from the Science Fiction Poetry Association, Poetry Nook, and Rhymezone, among others. His most recent book is Celestial Euphony (Plum White Press, 2019). NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. CODEC Stories:Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) 9 Responses Michael Pietrack August 27, 2024 Leave – Leaves very clever, cute, and fun to read. Reply Paul A. Freeman August 27, 2024 Wow! Such a simple style, yet I found myself enrapt, being happily lectured to by a leaf. Great stuff, Martin. Reply Shamik Banerjee August 28, 2024 I enjoyed your piece very much, Martin. The leave$ express themselves smoothly here. Truly, a memorable poem. Thank you for sharing it! Reply Shamik Banerjee August 28, 2024 leaves** Reply Elisa August 28, 2024 Quite clever and easy to read. With September fast approaching, a timely poem for the season. Thanks for sharing, Martin! Reply Cynthia Erlandson August 28, 2024 Lovely! Reply Margaret Coats August 28, 2024 With leaves as speaker, the title “Leave” may be a complaining imperative addressed to human beings–or it could be what the leaves understand humanity says to them through rakes and blowers. Very much liked the terse expression “turn harlequin.” Reply jd August 28, 2024 The entire poem was lovely. Thank you. Reply C.B. Anderson September 1, 2024 You have a soft touch, Martin, but you strike hard the right keys. Just a day in the life of a leaf. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Captcha loading...In order to pass the CAPTCHA please enable JavaScript. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Paul A. Freeman August 27, 2024 Wow! Such a simple style, yet I found myself enrapt, being happily lectured to by a leaf. Great stuff, Martin. Reply
Shamik Banerjee August 28, 2024 I enjoyed your piece very much, Martin. The leave$ express themselves smoothly here. Truly, a memorable poem. Thank you for sharing it! Reply
Elisa August 28, 2024 Quite clever and easy to read. With September fast approaching, a timely poem for the season. Thanks for sharing, Martin! Reply
Margaret Coats August 28, 2024 With leaves as speaker, the title “Leave” may be a complaining imperative addressed to human beings–or it could be what the leaves understand humanity says to them through rakes and blowers. Very much liked the terse expression “turn harlequin.” Reply
C.B. Anderson September 1, 2024 You have a soft touch, Martin, but you strike hard the right keys. Just a day in the life of a leaf. Reply
