Leaving

Is not always hard to do, especially
when it is a sendoff to a person
place or thing.

It is sometimes a natural
thing to do.

Leaving can be a departure
from a place, be it a house
or apartment,
be it a city, a state, a country.

Leaving can also be an exit
from a restaurant or the off-ramp
of a freeway.

It can be a parting of the ways
between yourself and a
friend, or yourself and a lover.

It is always though, a good-bye,
a separation from something or
someone former in your life.

In the going, there is also a coming,
like Moses leading the exodus out of Egypt
so the Hebrews could come to the land of milk and honey.

Leaving can also be a withdrawal from
substances or a situation.
You might even call it a retreat.

You can leave on a trip,
a going-away.
These are usually happy leaves,
to depart on a jet plane, boat,
or train.

Sometimes when you leave
you abscond with the residual dregs,
the whatever that is left behind.

Sometimes you disappear
from former acquaintances,
or a gathering place that
no longer offers attraction.

Leaving is a renouncing
of what once was,
a forsaking,
like shaking off old clothes
or peeling off old skin.

It is a put-aside,
a removing,

but it can also be a
delicious escape,

fleeing the scene
with the evidence
that you knew all along
it just wouldn’t work out.

Sometimes it is a leave-taking;
he leaves taking with him
the memory of you,

and his leaving
is all you have left.