Sentries of the Sky

Lights go out, then in
As the sun and clouds play tricks.
It's below freezing.

Shadows on the floor
Dancing with the shaking leaves,
Mimic the outside.

Immeasurably stark--
Silhouetted trees stand guard--
Sentries of the sky.

In pick-up truck's bed
The body of a dead deer.
Two flakes of snow fall.

Ice crystals on stream,
Which still flows furiously;
More snow flakes falling.

Last week it was dirt--
Stream bed has rushing water
Through the frozen woods.

Snow flakes are falling;
Convulsively they billow,
Then they disappear.

Fierce wind from the woods;
The ancient tree creaks angrily;
Stream flows undisturbed.