What Then?

Walking beneath yellow splotched green leaves
dripping from their stems in the slightest current of air 
the too bright sun is close enough for me
to feel its wet warmth beneath my shirt
 
yellow flashes gold in that light
green is translucent
 
Shadows dropping from the leaves above 
spray willy-nilly onto the tops of those below
and I see their fluid shapes 
from the underside 
of suddenly dark green leaves
as if shadows 
saturate them
in a moment 
and just as quickly
evaporate
 
Glancing down
shadows
strike
me
too

    ©  Tim Kochems (early autumn 2025)