A Heavy Leaf

The indoor stillness grew too confined, so I slipped beneath the patio screen door into the open yard. A dry, ribbed magnolia leaf lay angled across the rough concrete path. Wanting to study its structure, I lifted the brittle stem with both hands. It was surprisingly dense, resisting the shift in weight. A sudden gust caught the underside and nearly tipped it, but I dropped low into a centered stance, holding the broad spine firm against the pavement until the breeze cleared.