Maybe someday, surely not for now
Let me be, like the deciduous trees
In this winter that covers all that can sprout
Be a silouhtte, innmoon lit nights
When the winds blow, without my leaves
it will not rustle, I won't disturb the howl,
Of the beautiful, icy winds that prowl
I won't shelter with false promises
I will see the winter sun, not heed nor warm
For it can't, and I for one know life's retorts
This silence in me will be my only resort
I can be seen, not by choice, at my worst
But I won't fall
Fall went by, I didn't hold back my leaves
They left, like everything does, talk and deed
I am everything I will never need, nor offer
To
Anyone wishing shade, or fruits I bore
I will laugh, at the delusional sentiment whole
Then watch winter go, I will choose to though
If to bear leaves, it is not their call
I have for long stood strong and tall
And here, now, is what matters to me
The sun, nor sand, nor the irrelevant sea
I look at hills, the skies and be
I am the beginning and end of me.
Analysis of “post fall, spring is a choice”
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Overview
This poem frames winter as a deliberate state of being rather than an imposed season. The speaker aligns themselves with a deciduous tree—stripped bare, silent, and resolute. Instead of seeking warmth or shelter, they embrace solitude and self-reliance until they choose otherwise. The title, “post fall, spring is a choice,” encapsulates the idea that renewal isn’t automatic but an act of will.
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Key Themes
- Agency and Choice
The poem emphasizes that growth or renewal (spring) follows personal decision, not just natural progression.
- Resilience in Stillness
Silence and dormancy become strengths, not weaknesses, as the speaker stands firm against external forces.
- Boundaries and Self-Definition
Refusing to “rustle” or “shelter with false promises” underlines a boundary between self and others’ expectations.
- Transience and Acceptance
The shedding of leaves symbolizes letting go of what no longer serves, with the trust that loss is part of a cycle.
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Imagery and Symbolism
- Deciduous Tree
Represents the human capacity to shed burdens and stand bare, awaiting a conscious decision to regenerate.
- Winter Sun
A cold beauty that’s observed but not allowed to deceive or warm the speaker.
- Icy Winds and Moonlit Silhouettes
Conjure stark, haunting visuals of isolation, yet carry a strange elegance in their harshness.
- Leaves Falling
Echoes of past actions, words, or relationships that have left quietly and irrevocably.
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Tone and Voice
- Stoic and Introspective
The speaker’s voice is calm, measured, and unwavering, mirroring the stillness of a wintry landscape.
- Defiant Yet Peaceful
There’s no anger, only a quiet assertion of self-sovereignty—choosing inward peace over external comfort.
- Reflective and Resolute
Self-awareness infuses every line, revealing a deliberate embrace of one’s own limits and strengths.
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Structure and Form
- Free Verse Flow
Lacks a strict meter, allowing the poem’s pacing to mimic the natural drift of falling leaves.
- Repetition of Refusal
Phrases like “I won’t” and “I will see” reinforce the speaker’s determined stance.
- Climax in Self-Declaration
The final lines (“I am the beginning and end of me”) serve as a powerful crescendo of autonomy.
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Overall Meaning
This poem speaks of personal sovereignty in the face of loss and change. It reframes dormancy not as defeat but as deliberate self-preservation, asserting that renewal comes only when the individual chooses it. By embodying a winter tree—silent, stripped, and steadfast—the speaker celebrates the strength found in boundaries and celebrates the power of deciding when to blossom again.
Line-by-Line Analysis
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1. Maybe someday, surely not for now
This opening line conveys deferred hope. The speaker isn’t closing the door on renewal, but insists it isn’t immediate. It sets a tone of patient anticipation rather than instant transformation.
2. Let me be, like the deciduous trees
Here the speaker asks for space and permission to exist in their natural cycle. By comparing themselves to trees that shed leaves, they embrace vulnerability and seasonal change.
3. In this winter that covers all that can sprout
Winter is portrayed as an all-encompassing force suppressing growth. The speaker situates themselves within this dormancy, acknowledging the world’s pause.
4. Be a silhouette, in moonlit nights
The image of a dark outline against moonlight evokes quiet dignity. The speaker chooses to be seen only as a distant form, not revealing inner details.
5. When the winds blow, without my leaves
Stripped bare of “leaves” (metaphorical defenses or comforts), the speaker faces adversity directly. There’s no barrier to muffle the winds of challenge.
6. it will not rustle, I won’t disturb the howl,
By not rustling, the speaker refuses to react or draw attention. They’ll coexist with hardship without interference or complaint.
7. Of the beautiful, icy winds that prowl
These winds carry both danger and eerie allure. Labeling them “beautiful” shows the speaker’s acceptance—and even respect—for life’s harsher moments.
8. I won’t shelter with false promises
The speaker rejects comforting lies or empty reassurances. Any solace must be genuine, not a desperate attempt to mask reality.
9. I will see the winter sun, not heed nor warm
The cold winter sun is acknowledged for its presence but not allowed to deceive or warm the speaker’s resolve. They remain emotionally distant.
10. For it can't, and I for one know life's retorts
The speaker has faced life’s unexpected comebacks before. They understand beauty can’t always heal, so they withhold trust.
11. This silence in me will be my only resort
Silence becomes self-defense. In solitude, the speaker finds strength rather than defaulting to words or actions.
12. I can be seen, not by choice, at my worst
Visibility here is involuntary and unflattering. The speaker accepts that their lowest moments may be exposed, but they won’t orchestrate that exposure.
13. But I won't fall
A succinct declaration of resilience. Despite being bare and exposed, the speaker refuses to collapse under pressure.
14. Fall went by, I didn't hold back my leaves
Reflecting on autumn, the speaker acknowledges they let go without resistance. It was a necessary shedding rather than a reluctant loss.
15. They left, like everything does, talk and deed
Leaves fall as inevitably as promises and actions fade. The comparison underscores life’s transience and the hollow nature of many commitments.
16. I am everything I will never need, nor offer
A paradoxical statement of self-sufficiency. The speaker alone embodies qualities they neither seek from others nor wish to give away.
17. To anyone wishing shade, or fruits I bore
By expanding on the previous line, the speaker rejects roles of provider or comforter. They won’t serve as refuge or reward for others’ benefit.
18. I will laugh, at the delusional sentiment whole
There’s a wry humor here—believing that others expect their shade or fruits is folly. The speaker finds release in mocking that false hope.
19. Then watch winter go, I will choose to though
They’ll observe winter’s end, but only when they decide it’s time. Renewal remains under their control, not nature’s mandate.
20. If to bear leaves, it is not their call
Leaf-bearing (rebirth) depends solely on the speaker’s choice. It’s not an automatic cycle but a conscious act of agency.
21. I have for long stood strong and tall
The speaker asserts their enduring strength and upright posture through past seasons—proof of resilience.
22. And here, now, is what matters to me
A pivot to the present moment. All prior reflection leads to this core realization.
23. The sun, nor sand, nor the irrelevant sea
External elements—sunlight, shifting sands, vast oceans—hold no sway over the speaker’s inner world or decisions.
24. I look at hills, the skies and be
Contemplating vast, unchanging landscapes becomes a form of presence. The speaker simply exists in observation.
25. I am the beginning and end of me
The poem’s powerful conclusion: self-determination is absolute. The speaker owns both origin
