leaves

my home state is known for dark water beaches
broken sidewalks and smog 
and buildings that don’t quite scrape the sky
sandwich shops and spoiled children
but they don’t visit the parks
the river gaps
the trails
in autumn
like i have
like i am
under a canopy of flames
above cherry and licorice colored ants
the smell of damp soil and wet saltless stone 
coming off the stream
upon a chilly fall air
in the gently warm sun
the goldenrod light- thin and airy
making it easy
to collect tree leaves
a serbian spruce stem, needles still green
a honey locust leaf, chartreuse 
a shagbark hickory leaf, canary yellow
a sugar maple leaf, sunrise orange
a dogwood leaf, wine red
a japanese barberry leaf, sangria purple
a sweetgum leaf, edges kissed cinnamon brown
all to be pressed
in encyclopedic pages
unnaturally preserved
amidst the pulp of distant relatives