Milkweed
written by: Lee Dunn
Glad of an insulated jacket today.
Fall winds, browning fronds, bright leaves.
They have patched up the roads
by tarring the cracks.
Black on grey,
the patterns are like Chinese characters,
or maps to some joke of a destination.
The quiet side streets seem to hold their breaths,
waiting for winter.
There are bold dandelions
that once laid low to escape the mower,
their clownish fluff still clinging,
their sepals like a jester’s collar.
I walk alone, not out of choice,
having once asked another
~What slows you
~Is it weakness
~Is it pain
~Is it fear
From the roadside,
I pick two milkweed pods,
pocket them for a late fall planting,
in hopes of summer Monarchs.
Lee Dunn has been writing since the age of 18, but found that work got in the way for the ensuing 48 years. In his home town of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, he reveled in his independence at an early age, and spent as much time as he could exploring the city’s Arts scene. He was introduced to poetry and prose by the works of two literary giants, namely J.R.R. Tolkien and J.W. Lennon and thence fell in love with the written word. His work includes poetry, short fiction, and personal essays, and ranges in theme from the surreal to the horrific, nostalgic, and themes on the human condition. He has written columns for the Shelburne Free Press, and writes mainly on his personal blog at AreMyFeetOffTheGround.
Latest posts by Lee Dunn (see all)
- Milkweed - April 28, 2026
- The Following - May 30, 2023
- Miss Maven and The Raven - October 12, 2022
