i begin 

unbroken,

round as the moon,

bright

with autumn,

heavy with seeds,

complete in 

my silence.

You picked me because I was             "perfect"-

you took me from my comfort spot,

my           home-

to put me on display for others to judge,

Laying in a cardboard box

You grab me from all I've known

Across the dusty conveyor belt 

And into your car I go 

And with this I leave my life, my family, my temporary home

i bought pumpkin pie lip balm that tasted like

fall in california

even though i'm in new hampshire

and the leaves are curling. 

the lights in sephora were sickly bright

like the lights

when the time comes

i am not ready.

as in,

the ground beneath me is still dew-soft with summer

and i am just barely stretching awake

to a morning not yet frosted over. they grab my stem

All I can do is sit

and watch

and wait

as they purchase me

as I am loaded into the back of a car

as I am unloaded from the car

as I am brought into their house