Michael T. Young: Concession Speech

People don’t understand that the road

to concession is paved with denial.

Each stone of it must be carved in private,

then tapped and coaxed to resist

the pressure of its neighbors, resist

this urge for the quick acceptance

of how autumn trees, even in an election year,

turn and give up on their summer legislation,

how the birds of northern skies,

about face and march over the clouds,

fleeing the worms that vote against them,

flying from how alone they are,

and how every leaf, even as it pales

on the tip of the maple branch

gasps, “hold on, hold on for life.”

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Michael T. Young’s books include The Infinite Doctrine of Water published by Terrapin Books. 

Copyright 2020 Michael T. Young