LEAF TATTOO
Can you feel it
In my city
The changing air
as wind folds in
fall’s cool weather.
Orange leaves land on
the sidewalks of Holly Street.
No worms to dance them back to soil.
Cement laden, laid upon
the roadside in random patterns
leave a tattoo, imprint to the stone.
Five pointed star, a Tree Hand
pressed by feet and rain
bleed the orange ink for all to see.
By winter the marks wash away
By spring a bright green baby waves
at us from its mothers arm
born back into our memory.
Published by Shannon Laws
Shannon Laws is an award-winning poet, performer, and advocate for the arts. She has been recognized with two Mayor’s Arts Awards and the Dr. Asha Bhargava Memorial Award — Community Champion. Her work has been featured in numerous journals and anthologies, and she has captivated audiences at esteemed literary events, including the Jack McCarthy Evergreen Invitational Slam, SpeakEasy, Poetry Night, Kitchen Sessions, and the West Coast Tagore Festival.
Beyond her writing and performances, Shannon actively fosters literary
and artistic communities. Since 2022, she has curated Corridor, a monthly
“found-art” zine project that showcases the work of more than 50 contributing
poets and artists. She is also the founder and host of Poetry Club, an engaging
discussion group established in 2015.
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