Moment of Silence

Everything's ready,
Just like I always leave it--
Breakfast after walk.

Nothing outside moves,
Not even the tree branches--
Moment of silence.

My stream is quiet;
Water flows without its roar.
(There's ice on a rock.)

 

 Alfred is scratching;
Can't seem to get it right.
(If only he had hands.)

Now that it's silent
I can hear the screaming of the woods.
What are they saying?

Like a white blanket
Draped over twig on a stream
Sculpted piece of ice.

Down in the valley
Old stone wall enters the woods
Disintegrating.

The chipmunk races
From one wood pile to the next
Its fluff tail raised high.