Beneath – Page 21 – Iron Haiku

the last day of spring-
apple blossoms ride on the
late afternoon breeze
–
barefoot-
crab apples
in the grass

dark grey winter clouds
heavily laden with snow
loom over this town
–
winter sunrise-
shallow paw prints
in the snow

by a forest stream
above the frogs and crickets-
winter stars appear
–
late spring thaw-
fox kits cross
a fallen oak

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

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

winter is coming-
it seems only yesterday
the trees were in bloom
–
the forest-
awake under a
blanket of snow

with the rising sun
the smell of coffee clears the
cobwebs from my mind
–
smoldering campfire-
I blow on the
overnight coals

your slow gentle breath
in the forest silver wolves
hold court with the moon
–
icy water-
the sound of blood
rushing in my ears

a dusting of snow
years of footfalls revealed in
the worn granite steps
–
an old slate roof-
heavy snow piles
up on the eaves

lonely red roses
walked off from the outside by
a thicket of thorns
–
the sun
our children at play
in the back yard