The Trees Are Late This Year

The trees are late this year
I know this because
I grew here
And by the time my birthday would come,
As October waned and the rains fell
they would have shed their colors
to make a sloppy yellow red carpet on the ground
But the days are passing
and the leaves remain the same

The local news explains it all:
the science of the leaves
that refuse to turn
assuring us that they will,
in their own time,
just when the conditions are right
What if they don’t?
What if they are waiting for something else?
Perhaps they are willing themselves to remain the same
Refusing to change despite expectations
If they never change
I’m sure the news will inform us
We wouldn’t want to miss
Something that didn’t happen