Red Leaves

Red. Yellow, brown, or orange. Leaves live comfortably. At cider mills, and in backyards. Maple leaves. They are spiky, and boldly shaped. Into a leaf pile. They are dead, but not haunted. They are yellow, brown, or orange. Mostly, red though. Or maybe we just like the red ones the best. Stepping inside, crumbled leaves on the floor. They seem dry and brittle in the kitchen. She hands me a broom. Leaves are not so fun inside. But still they are yellow, brown, or orange… …or like my broom handle, like rust, like the sunset… They can be my favorite color: Red.