journey

dusk turns cold

the last cloud floats on 

downriver

clarity

where night dims the clarity of a mockingbird

all night

mountain of trees

it takes a moon all night 

to pass through 

thumbs

origami

the crane doesn't mind

all my thumbs

*original image by landscaping gallery 

pruning

fall pruning

how quietly the sky

fills the emptiness

ripen

in an oak

the year ripens

a child's smile

crossroads

autumn crossroads the breath of a toad in my palm

between

between rocks

the sound of a snail

and its shadow

grazing

grazing deer

what do you think

of the prairie dawn 

rewritten

thoughts rewritten

in a pond's shadow

the fox waits

shaft

forest at midnight

a shaft of moonlight

through the heart

cry

wood ducks cry

their trail disappears

in morning light

scarlet

birds are silent

the day is grey

a scarlet leaf

autumn

autumn place

with dawn in dewdrops

dragonflies in dusk

weeping

the moon's face smooth next to mine willow weeping 

then

then it's morning and the marsh becomes a flock of crows

wine

anyway

the wind leaves its breeze

evening wine

almost

almost home

i follow an egret

the last few heartbeats

crossing

night's long road

the shadows that cross

behind me

leap

twilight sounds

how quietly fall leaps

from tree to tree

fear

as trees close

on their darkness

and night grows

it would be so easy

to fear you

roses

when rain curls

the straight of my hair

and wind howls

what is it

about roses

moon slick

moon slick night

not even a mouse

is stirring

octoberfest

among ducks

a paper airplane floats

octoberfest

bones

skeletons

on the ridgetop

a raven calls

the evening down

through hemlock bones 

clouds

homemade jam

a sunbeam slips

through morning clouds 

awaiting

abandoned farm

stalks of goldenrod 

awaiting the plow

just

into footsteps the way of leaves just fallen

gift

asking nothing

a flower gives me

the evening sky

jasmine

on a cold night

the fragrance of stars

last jasmine

waning

daylight waning

a toad's trail veers

between potholes

ache

the trill of a wren

dazzles of honey

aching with dawn

jazz

late night jazz

moonlight beats a path

across my notes

until

until you come 

we sit in silence

mountain wind