An Unavoidable Casualty by Jason Vanderlaan

An Unavoidable Casualty

by Jason Vanderlaan

A dry leaf

Scrapes across

The cold sidewalk,

Just before it crunches

Beneath my foot.

Up ahead,

A lamppost flickers

And dies.

I walk past it

And continue in darkness.

A tear escapes from my eye

And rolls downmy cheek.

Making this chilly night

Seem even colder.

There is no mercy

In these winter winds.