Golden

 

The hour

the afternoon

the month

of gold

Dickinson's blazing gold

Frost's fleeting gold

3

Dickinson

Frost

        

After

 

After

the day's deluge

gulls gather

in spontaneous ponds

where ducks

forage

bottoms up

At the dam

a mink

scampers

slipping

between rocks

to catch

a fish

struggling

in still

low water

2

Ready and waiting

The trees

look ready

for the change

leaves rustling

with dry whispers

edges curling

some

transitioning

from green

to gold and crimson

A few

snatched

by a stiff breeze

One last afternoon

of summer heat

then

maybe

finally

fall

1

 

Wish (18)

 

Wishing

for fall

the cool air

scented

with leaves

and harvest

the colors

the frost

A season

so fleeting

In a blink

bare trees

and snow

Kind (17)

 

The ancient words

the ones

that murmur up

from the gut

or the back of the throat

where the heart

climbs

seeking

to voice

comfort

community

kin

kind

Growing (16)

 

In memory's garden

images of peace

are growing

under the cool shadows

of pine trees

that have stood straight

decades

perhaps

a century

Big Sky (15)

 

This big sky

makes me feel

small

too small

to hold up the world

which isn't really

my job

is it?

Divine (14)

 

The trees

lift open palms

of color

to the sky

I'll join

their prayer

of thanks

and

praise

Labyrinth (13)

 

A mountain

we climb

A valley

we descend

A river

rushing

over rocks

then spilling

to stillness

A labyrinth

we walk

our steps

prayers

we move

from center

to border

and back

Endlessly

tracing

the path

of our griefs

Beyond (12)

 

Beyond

the glass

muted summer

simmers

Here and there

a leaf begins

to turn

and the light

has the slant

of coming fall

Farewell (11)

 

Summer

leaves

a handful

of momentos

A few bright blossoms

amid

the rattling

remains

of fading flowers

Familiar (10)

 

Fondly

familiar

these trees

the September light

the fanciful

cloud shapes

the quiet sounds

of a nearly fall

afternoon

Windows (9)

 

Grateful

for the view

the sky

the cloud islands

the trees

swaying

in a wind

silent behind

the glass

I can only imagine

the breeze

Is it warm

or tinged

with autumn's coming chill?

Landscapes (8)

 

Memory's

landscapes

return

with the seasons

the rows of corn

the whispering leaves

the turning road

the smell

of burning

Travel (7)

 

The time

between

leaving

and arriving

the movement

the turns

the green blur

with flashes

of flame red summac

the river bottom

the soaring eagle

the familiar road

the last mile

the return

Whisper (6)

 

The leaves

whisper

autumn

a tale

I'm ready

to hear

as the afternoon

slips

slowly

into evening

6

Maybe

 

Maybe

the day

the week

the year

was long

The sun

never showed

And it rained

But

there was laughter

and purpose

and a neighbor

came with a gift

lemon-scented

and bright as the sun

and there was rest

Maybe

tomorrow

the sun

will shine

5

Hints

 

The first hints

of season's end

a turning leaf

a cloudy day

evening's approach

dawn's retreat

4

Forest

 

If I could fly

I would

find

a forest

to nest in

deep in green

entwined in roots

sheltered in shadows

serene

solitary

silent

3