When country trees
Howled and creaked
Like a wooden floor
A single birch leaf
Stood its ground
And would not bend
Against the wind
Or yield to its roar
Beckoned to follow
By oak and maple
It refused to go
And chose instead
To greet the snow
Why does a birch leaf
Prefer to stay
For another day
When we know
We have no say
For death follows birth
As leaf does leaf
Nor can we choose
Our time to go
And leave behind others
To greet the snow
By Darryl T. Davies