A poem from my recently published book 0f poetry

The Mechanization of Gathering
Leaves

The mechanization of gathering leaves
has made this a choir of considerable ease.
In days gone by when leaves fluttered down
people would gather them all over town
and would talk to their neighbors.
“What a beautiful day!”
as they leaned on their rakes
you might hear them say.
But now the motors blow with a roar
the leaves away from each front door.
“Gotta be finished by quarter of two.
Can’t miss the kickoff today. Can you?”
Autumnal splendor is wasted on these
since the mechanization of gathering leaves.

copyright Thomas Neiger