crackling leaves

make the lightest
sounds, hitting the corners
of the roof,
we backtrack to listen
the shriveled black leaves
small like bats
the sounds of wind chimes

we are wizards
on this path
life is fleeting
precious, fruit

[Noemi Martinez is a Chicana/Boriqua writer slash poet slash mixed media artist superhero sirena living in deep South Texas. Her writing has recently appeared in Hip Mama Magazine, Tofu Magazine, Interstice and in ¡Ban This! The BSP Anthology of Xican@ Literature and Don’t Leave Your Friends Behind: Concrete Ways to Support Families in Social Justice Movements and Communities. She occasionally blogs at hermanaresist.com.]