Afternoon – Page 27

bitter on the tongue-
the hot bilious taste of
someone else’s fear
–
an owl’s cry-
the field mouse
frozen

gentle snow falling
a dog at his owners grave
clawing at the earth
–
winter evening-
your rocking chair
empty

a gilded mirror-
reflections of other lives
from across the room
–
frosted windows-
fire reflected
in your eyes

twisted hotel sheets
warm champagne and melted ice
left for housekeeping
–
an open window-
our naked skin
in the noonday sun

out on the lanai
jasmine flowers drift past while
moonlight fills my cup
–
distant mountains-
the heady scent
of pineapple

sitting on the stoop
waiting on a taxi cab-
a soft rain moves in
–
heavy clouds-
dogwood petals
in the grass

deep in the pine boughs-
a cardinal dusted with
the season’s first snow
–
winter solstice
the last leaf falls
on fresh snow

winter in the air-
unmown fields of autumn grass
yellowed by the sun
–
looking up-
snowflakes on
your lashes

leaving my baggage
there’s far too much to carry
along this journey
–
the river left behind-
ewer water
darkens the road

my eyelids heavy
weighed down by lies from the past
that I can’t escape
–
dark skies-
mountain rains
flood the valley