Letters

Now in the autumn of my life

The bright colors of fall bring a bounty

Paired with a desperate knowing that soon

Gas-powered leaf blowers will surround me.

Such a horrid sound — must we really all suffer

This exercise that’s so pointless and dumb?

They blow them into the street or on the lawn of a neighbor

As if there aren’t more leaves to come.

We rebel against unmuffled cars

And curse airports with low-flying jets

We’re so sensitive if music’s too loud

And we muzzle our barking pets.

We legislate against all forms of pollution

Be it from lights, or swamps, or cars,

But somehow we have all accepted

The racket in our own backyards!

It’s not as if there is no solution;

Batteries now power most everything,

Your car, your drill and your skillsaw

Can’t we apply this to just one more thing?

The reward would be heard in an instant

Peaceful silence would fill our heads

Our local walks will bring lasting relief

When the gas-powered leaf blower is dead!

Howard Mitchell

Sag Harbor