Sadness – Page 20 – Iron Haiku

far icy mountains
bathed in shades of white and blue
float on arctic seas
–
broken ice-
polar bears
search for respite

with a poisoned pen
I write stories in the blood
of the innocent
–
desert sagebrush-
rattlesnakes hidden
in plain sight

I catch your eye as
we pass each other by but
you’re out of my league
–
noonday sun-
lions stalking
in the tall grass

pour me another
for I’m not yet numb enough
to make new mistakes
–
darkling beetles-
drunk on the
morning dew

reaching for your hand
I would touch you if only
I could turn back time
–
under the oak tree-
lost in our
history

at the podium
a wool blanket wraps itself
around my tongue
–
summer sun-
snowy cotton
waiting for harvest

this fight is over
and yet I find myself still
walking on eggshells
–
fallen trees-
we drive home
in silence

friends and enemies
all are but dust as I wait
for mortality
–
a dark attic-
old records
gathering dust

the year end draws near-
looking back on regrets for
things I didn’t do
–
snowshoes-
stepping out
onto thin ice

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