Todd Melicker: California Poets Part 9, Four Poems

Todd Melicker

December 22nd, 2025

California Poets: Part IX

Todd Melicker

Four Poems

slight

                                                                             shift of

                                                                             the sun—

                                                                             weight

                                                                             of one

                                                                             leg to

                                                                             another

                                                                             this is

                                                                             not the

                                                                             only

                                                                             leaf to

                                                                             touch

                                                                             us

                                                                                   *

                                                                             each

                                                                             leaf a

                                                                             change

                                                                             in itself

                                                                             it wasn’t

                                                                             there

                                                                             a second

                                                                             ago

                                                                             my

                                                                             life, our

                                                                             life

                                                                             once a

                                                                             leaf

                                                                             now

                                                                             covered

                                                                             in leaves

                                                                                   *

                                                                               awake

                                                                               ned by

                                                                               foliage

                                                                               the

                                                                               colors

                                                                               you

                                                                               will

                                                                               fill

                                                                               with

                                                                               shape

                                                                               the

                                                                               shapes

                                                                               of

                                                                               fruit

                                                                               you

                                                                               will

                                                                               fill

                                                                               with

                                                                               color 

                                                                               & the

                                                                               birds

                                                                               once

                                                                               again

                                                                               calling

                                                                               filling

                                                                               in

                                                                               the

                                                                               sun

                                                                                   *

                                                                           snap closed

                                                                           the

                                                                           window

                                                                           or we’ll

                                                                           fall out

                                                                           at once

                                                                           three stories

                                                                           at once

                                                                           immeasurable

                                                                           at once

                                                                           ceiling bound

                                                                           at once

                                                                           branches

                                                                           at once

                                                                           arms

                                                                           at once

                                                                           incessant

                                                                           single

                                                                           note

                                                                           of the

                                                                           grass

                                                                           at once

                                                                           swallowed

                                                                           at once

                                                                           awake

                                                                           at once

                                                                           swayed

                                                                           at once

                                                                           an elliptical

                                                                           presence

                                                                                 *

                                                                            place on

                                                                            my

                                                                            tongue

                                                                            a leaf

                                                                            of light,

                                                                            i will

                                                                            place on

                                                                            your

                                                                            tongue

                                                                            a leaf

                                                                            of light

                                                                                  *

                                                                              a cup

                                                                              works

                                                                              by not

                                                                              spilling

                                                                              then

                                                                              empty

                                                                              ing

                                                                                   *

                                                                             & the

                                                                             world is

                                                                             making

                                                                             & you

                                                                             are

                                                                             waking

                                                                             she is

                                                                             we are

                                                                             she wakes

                                                                             herself

                                                                             he wakes

                                                                             himself

                                                                             you wake

                                                                             yourself

                                                                             up &

                                                                             i am

                                                                             making

                                                                             the world

                                                                             is

                                                                             waking

                                                                             up

                                                                                   *

                                                                             clear as a

                                                                             sparrow

                                                                             continuous

                                                                             as a

                                                                             sparrow

Author Bio:

Todd Melicker is the author of rendezvous (Rescue Press) and is this the body / if hovers (lyric& Press). Originally from the Northern Sierra, he lives with his family in Sonoma County.