Leaves

Autumn leaves fall down, Ready, expected, aware: You would never question the event, Or climb a tree to pull one off, And then place it on the ground. So why question suffering? A universality so common and random, Just to be received and convincing. Nature is natural, Both greenery and living organisms, So why pull them out of the world, Away from their context - both good and bad, To make them the the ones to blame? Not communally, but individually, Unknown to their surroundings inexplicably. Evolution sets us up by time, With nature as itself, Not determined or bold or pointing, But just perfect: Interacting and relational, Becoming better and better every day: Stronger, more intelligent and more moral. John Keats’ Nightingale represents nature, Because it gives voice to that beauty and majesty, In song, so expressive and unaffected and free, Encouraging us to think rationally about suffering: The bird’s music is so fair and equalising - For anyone, open to all in its accessibility, Allowing us to feel and think through poetry.