Among Leaves

My spread palm is leaf-faced
rests unrhymed on knees agaping
thumbs droop unalliterative

a balding cypress themes our garden
swampy shadows add abstraction
to roots sticking out like motifs wasting

close by another branch leans
on the grass like a chest growing hair
stamen seek fingers

a bird preening watches over
the quick and confused embrace
across the road many details whither

See ! the plot scattering leaves
how these private hearts
make a story out of earth.