Afternoon – Page 49

children of gaia-
seeking purchase in every
crack in the pavement
–
dripping eaves-
english ivy climbs
these old stone walls

pearly morning mist
the crew of eight rows as one
curling flat water
–
bulrushes-
a passing wake
laps the shore

summer in decline
the first fragments of autumn
strewn across my lawn
–
open windows-
under my blanket
flannel sheets

quietly aging-
under the stairs, a box of
curling photographs
–
wind blown leaves-
walking slowly
hand in hand

speak not of winter-
late autumn flowers bloom through
lightly falling snow
–
caramel sunlight-
autumn’s first
turning leaf

living day by day
striving to open my mind
and keep my mouth shut
–
nests amid the rafters-
prayer bells ring
in the rain

the gathering rain-
reflections of my spirit
clouding my windows
–
dirty windows-
the outside world
smeared by the rain

a glass dragonfly
darts through the air and alights
on my upturned palm
–
low winter sun-
stained glass
painting the wall

a murder of crows
as one silently take wing
into the august sky
–
turning winds-
a crow flies
before the sun

hoping against hope
to stem the incoming tide
and still it rises
–
august-
forsaken
by the sun