February And Beyond

February's End

1 Imprinted

Small birds are more strident
pigeons more insistent
and dog- bark, more persistent
at February’s end,
who had a gale or two to throw,
rained a plenty and let floods flow.

The sun in hazing sky’s a fading friend
radiance fainting in precipitating cloud
her condescension verses condensation’s shroud
unequal struggle, a white-out brightness
over still evergreens’ dark address.

Yet now the clouds have formed they gather in
leaving haze-patches on a pate grown thin
and so (like Little Wing) she makes a slight return
to instil the physics of her shadows, churn
up the cacophony of animals and birds
and leave our eyes imprinted with her words.

2 Eternal City

With furring wings
a small fly helicopters,
unerringly cruising

between towers of groundsel,
by the white fur of a silky seed top and
by bud-assembly, readying,

over the yellow deeps of flowers
with their panels deployed
now to the sun -

to prove
that love is never done;

and neither breathing,
nor breeding ceases.  

3 Weeping Willow

Husbanding  tree, reserved many a spear;
its last lanceolate tear wept in new year,
barely two months bare, is now leafing clean;
long suede-yellow trails studded with bright green.

Every bud is burst;  curled leaves peeping clear:
I think that Old Man Willow’s sleeping near!

..