THINGS THAT FALL

Rain. People’s mood
in the rain, unless they’re barefoot
a summer dress.
Kites — eventually.

Leaves, particularly when winter
storms come. Flower petals.
Your hair, too, pin
clattering to the floor.

My breath,
like that kite.
An ember into ash,
darkness and warmth.

Tears. More so in the rain.
Us, more so.

Eric Christopher Uphoff is a wanderer who has called Texas, Japan, and Taiwan home. He holds an MFA in writing from Lindenwood University and a BA in music from the University of North Texas. After more than a decade abroad, he now finds himself an ESL instructor at the University of Texas at Austin. His poetry can also be found in Book of Matches, Eunoia, and elsewhere.