Russet
I want to drink
The day down.
Maybe next
The night—first,
We’ll find
our feet, our feet
the floor. The blue beyond
the window
returns like a mother
after work, collapsing into
the living room.
I’m home. I’m done being
in love with
what leaves—
autumn gathers
in the trees, russet,
then tries
not to fall asleep
on the cold ground,
God, it is
hard being happy
if you try—
instead, be like
this slow
yellow. Let go.
From Stones (Penguin Random House, 2021) by Kevin Young Copyright © 2021 by Kevin Young. Used by permission of the poet.