December 2019 – Iron Haiku

approaching midnight-
hoping for the winds of change
to blow strong this year
–
fading daylight-
the future pinned
to our youth

dawn passes to dusk
giving rise to winter and
the fall of the year
–
on a cold wind-
another year gone
without notice

sitting on the stoop-
strangers walking past me with
judgment in their eyes
–
icy concrete steps-
wrought iron railings
rusted through

a day at the beach-
budding romance captured in
faded polaroids
–
sundown-
walking slowly
hand in hand

eggnog on the stove-
mace and cinnamon dress the
bottom of my glass
–
a glowing hearth-
outside the sun sets
on new year’s day

winter-fat raccoons
take refuge from the snow in
an abandoned crèche
–
christmas eve-
the snow on my roof
again undisturbed

past a dark alley
a chorus of feral cats
and toppled trash cans
–
over the car horns
and the shouting-
more sirens

the new dawn arrives
on the first day of winter
revealing the truth
–
winter dawn-
a landscape of ice
greets the sun

in endless circles
the moon dances with the stars
through the solstice night
–
an absent sun-
sleet clatters off
the autumn leaves

through endless farmland-
I suddenly see myself
in a passing train
–
ice tinged puddles-
a stranger lingers
in the water