Sharp morning shadows
Play with sunlight in the field;
Crisp, icy wind blows.

The stream is ice now,
No trickle just still whiteness;
Cold wind kisses it.

Ice wind in the woods
Murmurs in the bare tree limbs;
Old branch creaks softly.

There's sun but no warmth;
A breeze, but it's icy harsh;
Still, the old dogs bask.

Light lies on the leaves;
Wind whispers in the chilled woods;
A winter stillness.

Now my mind wanders
Conjuring imagined hurts.
Wind blows them away.

It's sure to snow now;
Sky is thick, gray, air is ice;
Birds fly frantically.

Beige lies upon beige:
Schnauzer curls up on the leaves
Huddled against wind.

The stream is halted;
Ice skin covers the water.
There are no trickles.

The darkness bears down;
Icy wind cuts through the trees.
The sky is pregnant.

Pick up truck rattles
Bumping on the old dirt road--
Race to beat the snow.

Car lights shine brightly
Even though it's late morning.
Dark is descending.

Flutter doves to tree
Branch hopping and then stopping;
Looking all around.

Hazy sun morning;
Small birds peck at the feeder;
Frost is on the field.

Birds leap branch to branch
High on the tall leafless tree.
Crow struts in the field.

Football in the yard;
It's laid unused for two days.
Won't someone kick it?

You have to look twice:
A fur clump, a tail and leaves.
The dead raccoon melts.

Leaves in the stream bed;
No sign of water or ice.
Just winter's stillness.

The sweet sense of spring,
Spicy grass, sun and cock's crow
In February.

Everything seems brown:
Trees, leaves and even the stream.
Wait! An evergreen.

Music from the shack
Floats gently onto the road.
Carpenter at work.

The stream bed is dry,
Ice patches recall its past.
When will water flow?

They are bedraggled:
Christmas bells on the mail box.
Why don't they just leave?

My two old friends wait
Huddled on a patch of sun.
Inseparable Labs.

Snow is in the air
But the woods and road are bare.
Wind's whispers foretell.

Today's a beige day;
Brown shades cover everything.
Even green's subdued.

Sparkling on brown leaves
Preternatural green flash:
Mountain Dew bottle.

Same road and same walk,
Same sun, same sky and same trees.
Everything's different.

Porch door is ajar;
Rent sign leans against the fence.
The family is gone.

Blue shines through the trees;
The pond lies beyond the woods.
Now, all is naked.

Warm sun lights the woods
Painting green moss and white ice.
Strange February.

The old sawed tree stump
Hovers, bared roots like spiders.
Menacing in death.

Bristling in the sun
The bare trees enjoy a respite;
Break in the winter.

It is warm today;
The birds chirp at each other;
February's prank.

Hawk against the blue
Circles slow, red tail flashing.
Soon it will plummet.

Signs on many trees:
"Out!" "Private!" "No Trespassing!"
The sun is laughing.

Black dog checks me out;
From behind it sniffs my hand,
Then goes its own way.

"Posted" "Land for Sale".
Where are the developers?
Woods wait for the ax.

Against the blue sky
A cloud cat snarls into space
Slowly dissolving.

"Invisible fence";
Sign is posted on a tree,
An oxymoron.

After the light snow
Snow plow grates on the driveway
Ripping the soft white.

White house and white barn
Stand on unbroken snow field;
Dark windows peep out.

The woods are naked;
Trees reveal all their secrets
Bare against the snow.

Bright light but no warmth;
Sunny promises up ahead.
Just wishful thinking.

The gnarled twisted tree
Still stands upright in the woods
Even thought it's dead.

Shadows of the trees
Fall dark and straight on the snow
And don't make a sound.

Gray snowy morning,
Tiny white specks dot the sky.
My feet crunch the ground.

Sun has retreated;
All light comes from the whiteness:
The road, the roof, birch.

Pale green ribbon flies
Fluttering from the tree branch
Dancing with the snow.

The baby pine tree
Stands frosted at the roadside;
Its snowy milieu.

Snow road is empty;
Tire, footprints, belie life.
Where is everyone?

If you listen close
You can hear snowflakes fall
And whisper "pit pit".

We stop and chatter
Passing on the snowy road.
Then silence resumes.

Tiny specks of snow
Swirl merrily through the air.
Then, only the sun.

Frosted field and woods:
Just the dark snake stream cuts through
Breaking the whiteness.

Bright sun and blue sky;
Forest dances in the light.
Weather man says snow.

Lighter than feather
The snowflakes float to the ground
And then disappear.

Small bird skims the road
Disappearing in its glare
And lights on a bush.

Fat bird on high wire
Sits still and surveys the scene,
Far from any cat.

A sun splashed red barn
With green wreath on a window.
Winter's bright colors.

Pink house is empty;
Ladder lies on the toy car
The children are gone.

Mailbox red flag up
Trash cans neatly side by side.
Still Life is waiting.

A thin skin of ice.
Today the streams are silent.
Deep winter's muffler.

The car rushes past
Stirring up a cloud of dust;
Cold sun's rays stream through.

Shadows everywhere;
Cold winter's sun shines brightly
Brings darkness to light.

The stream in the woods
Sparkling rushes in the sun.
It lightly murmurs.

The rain is over;
Puddles mirror in the field.
The sun claims its own.

A man and two dogs;
He pulls them--they surge forward;
Who is walking whom?

A still pile of fur;
Raccoon still sleeps by the snow.
Its soul has long gone.

The snow is filthy;
Its whiteness tempered by dirt.
Elements battle.

The wind or a stream?
There's a rushing in the woods.
Air mimics water.

The black dog sees me;
He stops, pees, and turns around
His tail like a sail.

Yerry Hill Road Haiku

The light is subdued;
Puddles of ice and scattered snow.
Winter interlude.

There's a hushed stillness;
Then rooster crows and bird chirps;
Then stillness again.

The orange swing hangs
Its green guard loosely open
Waiting for a child.

Brown beer bottle lies
Cushioned by the pine needles;
Hospitable woods.

Haiku up the hill:
Labored words are puffing, then
Poof! I'm at the top.

Light flashes on rock
Sparking a liquid blink.
Swiftly rushing stream.