A Slanted Leaf

I pushed past the screen door runner to feel the cool garden gravel once more. Up on the wide rim of the stone birdbath, a damp, yellow birch leaf lay curled against the chipped rim. I took three quiet, measured breaths, watching the shallow water settle into a smooth mirror. Stepping softly onto the mossy stone pedestal, I extended one plush front paw and tapped the leaf's curled stem. It broke free with a tiny, clean ripple, drifting across the clear pool before coming to rest against the opposite ledge.