And once upon
A time there
Was a great
Oak tree mighty
And strong with
A canopy so
Large that it
Gave shadow to
A 200 head
Herd every afternoon
And in its
Thicket of leaves
One could hear
Delicate giggles as
The early Autumn
Wind blew there
Prompting the browning
Leaves to jump
Like children atop
Wooden sleds landing
Down below or
Even far away
As Winters first
Snow danced like
Drunken revelers swirling
And teasing there
Remained one last
Leaf above clinging
To its branch
Thinking that it
Had been forgotten
When in truth
All it was
Was different and
Being different is
By far the
Loneliest thing in
The world when
Viewed by others
When in fact
Being that one
Last leaf alone
Gave it a
Freedom to be
Itself uniquely strong
Being different requires
That much strength
To hold on
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 