Neither Up Nor Down

From walks of October 30, November 3 and November 4

October 30, 2016

Pre Halloween day;

Forsythia leaves glowing

In the gray morning.

Solitary branch

Rises above the bushes

Searching for the sky.

Collette's rounded ear

Sits on Olivia's back

As she peeks over.

Soft cirrus clouds hang

Over the mild sunny road.

(Almost November!)

Trampoline and ball

Sit in the empty front yard--

No shouts--no children.

Brown dappled forest

Absorbs the bright fall sunshine

Without a whisper.

Revealed--deserted:

Giant bird's nest laid bare;

The birds have long gone.

A lush brown carpet

As the woods reclaim the leaves--

Its winter garment.

Sun shine round the bend--

What promises does it hold

In its fragile grasp?

Solitary one

Passes in and out of sun

As she climbs the hill.

Gray patches of snow

Lie at the base of the tall tree.

Where did it come from?

Yellow and untouched

Old newspaper in its box

Waiting for nothing.

November 3, 2016

Blue bird on my lawn

Ripples across the dead leaves;

Then he disappears.

Yellow leaves sprinkled

Beneath the muted gray sky;

Waiting in silence.

November 4, 2016

Luminescent leaves

Stand next to the faint dull ones;

(A trick of the sun).

Leaves bow and tremble

As sudden breeze ripples through;

Then all are still again.

Spotted with freckles

Leaves prepare for their demise;

Soon they will descend.

Rooster on the roof

Calls out to his compatriot

Crowing from below.

Amid dead brown leaves

Brilliant red buds glow brightly.

Crows argue above.

In the midst of all

Leaf is frozen in its time;

Neither up nor down.

Back lit by the sun

Dead leaves achieve their glory;

For a few moments.

Stranger in the bush--

Leaf lies next to red berries;

A new resting place.