have a care
for the weapons you choose
lest they be turned

sirens in the dark — 
war is only unlike us
in our dreams

searing blue above
yellow wheat fields in the wind —
peace again the point

koi flashing orange
from the depths of the pond —
did someone say spring?

winter rain —
we ready ourselves
for layers of ice

the front yard bunny
lopes along from patch to patch
cheering on the grass

ageless pleasures —
leaning towards the sunshine
whistling the old songs

milkweed seed pods
empty as last year's nests —
winter leaving notes

wind's eerie song —
we wait for the sound
of trees giving in

cold chimney air
wet socks from worn-through boots —
winter coming close

high overhead
the sound of a branch cracking —
sudden winter squall

scrape a hole
then pull dirt in around you —
a home for anger

icy full moon
stubbornly out of reach —
does she think of me?

every trip we plan
squeezing through hope and worry —
will they welcome us?

busy morning birds
seeming nearly spherical —
not spring after all

finding bird footprints

in the dent made by my boot —

second snowfall

morning bird calls  —

I ask the bread store to save

some raisin challah

double recess —
the skip in her step
hops over to ours

huge flocks of starlings 
lifting the morning up
with them again

peeling off my coat
with gloves stuffed into pockets —
belief in spring

(HT AT)

spiders starting over —
the way I think to call you
too late every night

still hanging there
at the tips of every branch —
yesterday's rain

I can hold the branch
here between the thorns
so you can follow

when we move
we may come back in winter
to visit the snowdrops

I set an alarm
so I could watch you sleeping —
guarding my pleasure

shared meals, shared movies
we try to think of the last time
the old ways fading

morning fog —
sparrows reminding each other
where there might be seeds

just enough starlight
for their own constellations —
rabbit tracks in snow