Matter of Light

A matter of light,
part of the tree’s shade over the yard,
a zelkova leaf, narrow palm
of the rustbelt in April, green tints,

then little by little turning red,
a leaf surviving first snows, becoming
half furled, wing ruffled,
in the uncharted scales of ice,
their lunar tarnish,

and around it, leaf by leaf departing,
it fashioned a trace of shadow on the ground,
like some thin stripe across a wren’s skull
rooted in stillness, bleached in a field,

in January, a warm spell sustaining
last year’s leaf. It became in wind
a hand again, frost-burnt but waving
under the slow passing arc of sky,
the leaf tree-loyal
when buds reappeared.

Pittsburgh Quarterly is now accepting submissions for its online poetry feature. PQ Poem is seeking poetry from local, national and international poets that highlight a strong voice and good use of imagery, among other criteria. To have your work featured, send up to three previously unpublished poems in Word or PDF format as well as a brief bio to pittsburghquarterlymag@gmail.com

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but if work is accepted elsewhere, please alert us.