Patience

The pond

has no calendar

The grass

doesn't know

if it's March

or November

The landscape

is waiting

for what comes

when it comes

and accepts

sunshine

and rain

snow

and cloud

spring and 

summer

will come

in their time

Keep paddling

Although

I've never paddled

this river

or any other

I've heard

the wisdom 

of the water

Keep paddling

You can't stop

the river's flow

or the approach

of what's around

the bend

rapids

rocks

or reeds

or perhaps

a heron

poised on one leg

a calm pool

a meadow

of flowers

Unpaused

Birds
continue
their songs
unbowed
by the snow
that bows
the branches
Two ravens
collect twigs
from a bare tree
their movements
an intricate dance
of spring time

Grace Part Two

Birds greet

gentle rain

with their

most melodious

songs

This refreshment

is welcome

too

as needed

as sunlight

for our renewal

Grace

Lady Sun's

benovolent 

countenance

spills light

joy

and hope

and we all

spill out of doors

to lift our faces

to her 

longed-for

blessing

Shine on

Today Lady Sun

reigns

in dazzling splendor

over a kingdom 

of clouds

beside

an ocean 

of blue sky

Silver Lining

Hints of light

suggest

Lady Sun waits

on some distant horizon

beyond illusory 

mountains

of cloud

Out my window March 2020

The gray 
today
is heavy
like the morning
fog
descended
to muffle
my brain
But inside
we're
still growing
green
to balance
the gray

Almost green

Experience
cold, merciless teacher
admonishes:
Too soon
to look 
for spring
for green
for leaf and flower 
for color
But hope
warm and gentle
perhaps indulgent
whispers
soon

Backs to the wind

Amid the pines

the wind

roars

loud

in my ears

a hollow howl

Back to the wind

there is

momentary stillness

as the clouds

sheer away

from the sun

March Thaw 2020

What's left
is a spare beauty
the bones
and silhouettes
of flowers
framed by
grasses that
hold
the ghostly weight
of February snows
The birds
are busy
but green
still sleeps
under a matted quilt
of winter's refugees

Vigilance

Dawn

and an eagle circles

the open water

shadowed

by a brazen

blackbird

who darts

and dips

vigilant

Spring Dreams

Snowdrops

are blooming

in my dreams

Iris

unfurling

deep in the whorls

of my gray matter

Spring's memories

are unfolding

scenting my imaginings

with hope

The waiting time

The waiting time
is heavy
the clouds
the bare trees
the remains of snow
the sky fortelling
more snow
to come
We lean our shoulders
against the gray
pushing
the sisphyean weight
every step
threatening
winter's
return

Shine

I was so eager

to meet you

Lady Sun

I left my hat

I forgot my gloves

I tossed aside

my work

and worry

my only 

hurry

to stand in your light

and breathe

There and gone

Flakes fall fast
blanketing bud
and branch
Obscuring even cloud
in a blurry flurry
Gone
by afternoon
when
overhead
geese call to each other
on their way
northwest

Early Birds

The morning

is lightened

by the busy conversation

and medley

of birdsong

each call an individual composition

in a incongruously complementary chorus

A sparrow sings 

in the bare branches

a whistle, a trill

the climax almost a screech

Sing

repeat

sing

repeat

sing, sing, sing

Matthew 6: 26-27

Move/Be still

I keep returning

to you

Lady Sun

unmovable

ever-moving

Your sky skirt unfurled

Your bright heights

unbound

free

Calm

Spring

still seems distant

as the wind moans

in my ears

and the empty milkweed pods

rattle

But the air is clean

and the sky is blue

and the water is waiting

with her newly free song

If I close my eyes

this worried world

fades

and the sun seeps in

to where I'm coldest

March in between

We claim
to be
too jaded
to be fooled
by this March melt
this spring-not-yet
However
the child
inside
sees puddles
and bare ground
and rushes
to rejoice
in 
the momentarily
mild