six substantial sugar maples
that line our back yard
have released their fractal reds
and we
have gathered and mulched them all
but still deliberately green
are the millions festooned
throughout the twigs and branches
of the neighbour behemoth
which feigns nonchalance
just over our shared property line
on the corner
so stylish is green
each fall
it waits perversely
for the first snowflakes
before it will even consider
a hint of red
why this stubborn tree
holds off so long
is a mystery
but the result every year
is the same:
slow show leaves fall in fall snow fall
