under the willow

i lie in the grass looking up at a willow tree,
the shadows of the leaves dancing on my skin.
i see the greenness of the leaves,
sense the freshness in the air.
the palpable feeling of new beginnings,
an unrequited love affair.
a leaf drifts and lands on my chest.
the edges yellowing, brittle between my fingers.
i toss it to the side.
in the early september air i am reminded
of the fall from life that awaits.
the transience of mutual intimacy,
the vulnerability of leaving everything up to fate.