Golden Nuggets

 Golden Nuggets

Along a dirt road,
autumn leaves mostly down,
bright yellow poplar leaves
catch our eye.
We stop,
gaze upward
to enjoy
those that quake
on lofty branches
against a backdrop
 of brilliant blue.
A memory unfolds
of a second grade student,
who gently touched my arm
on a walking field trip
in local woods
as he noticed a similar scene.
Often quiet and detached,
something in him
enlivened.
.“Look!” he gasped.
“They’re like golden nuggets
dancing in the sun!”
I can still feel the moment,
revisit our tandem smiles,
from all those years ago.
A delightful golden nugget
for a retired teacher
walking in places
anew.

Sarah Carlson
October 29, 2022