April 2019 – Iron Haiku

the bedroom window-
a midnight breeze eases past
the open curtains
–
april morning-
open windows
heavy blankets

verdant sunlight-
hillsides dappled by the shade
from the passing clouds
–
sea foam-
emerald hills
flecked with sheep

muscle and sinew-
soot stained and glistening from
the heat of the forge
–
shimmering heat-
the cold ring of
hammer on steel

a cool morning breeze-
silver waves ripple across
unmown fields of grass
–
gulls over the beach-
cattails bowed to
the rising sun

walking from the train
a soft rain begins to wash
off the day’s burdens
–
eyes closed-
rocked to sleep
among strangers

telling ghost stories-
embers on the rising smoke
mixing with the stars
–
distant howls-
another log
feeds the fire

sedona night skies-
a desert scorpion crawls
across my bedroll
–
campfire-
embers rise to greet
the desert stars

weeping cherry trees
pink and white blossoms sodden
with the sudden rain
–
spring rains-
dogwood blooms
floating by

overnight snowfall
blankets the desert landscape
of sand and sagebrush
–
condors overhead-
remnants of snow
in cactus shadows

just before sunrise-
my tea steeps as a vixen
calls out to her kits
–
plumes of breath-
a young doe
hides her fawn