Gray clouds and blue sky;
Sunlight shifts in the chill air.
I can see my breath.

Sunlight is spreading;
Sharp shadows and glowing leaves--
Then the gray cloud's hand.

Pine needle blanket;
Leaves float gently to the ground;
A mournful bird cries.

The deserted house
Stands hollow by the roadside;
Its windows are blank.

Black dog trots ahead
Waving its tail like a flag,
Then hunches to poop.

Dappled caged forest;
The bright sun lights up the wires.
Light escapes prison.

A ribbon of light:
Sun splashes the stream below
Which murmurs faintly.

Warm Halloween morn;
Bare ghost trees claw at the sky.
Witches are sleeping.

Wood smoke and grass smell;
Warm breeze bubbles with the stream;
Silent bird flutters.

The woods are sunny;
Few leaves block the gentle warmth.
Indian summer.

Bird nest high above
Revealed by the fallen leaves.
Autumn's nakedness.

The blank octagon
Faces grayly down the road:
Back of a stop sign.

Howl up in the woods;
Below ducks quack wheezingly;
Then all is silence.

Everything is quiet
Save the ringing in my ears
(Or are those angels?)

Orange bushes grow
Appearing throughout the woods;
Now is their time.

Sparkling brown leaves
Glitter falling in the sunlight.
Then a bird flutters.

Small birds fly about,
Zipping from bush to bush
Looking for cover.

The moss is still green
Amidst dead leaves, dying grass
Shaded by the pines.

Shiny milkweed pods
Lit up in the morning sun
Pregnant with their juice.

Spicy smell somewhere--
Mulching leaves or forest moss?
A scent of Autumn.

The collapsing tent
Stands askew in the back yard.
Summer is over.

Like a wooden bell
The strange bird clucks in the woods
Soft, invisible.

Web between the trees
Catches leaves, dust, and the sun;
Spider is long gone.

Acorn falls to road
Making a sharp tapping sound.
Where have the squirrels gone?

Sun sifts through the leaves
Filtering out the colors:
Orange, yellow, green.

Scent of fresh cut grass
Wafts between shadows and light,
Dissolves in the sun.

Blue aster cluster
Flourishing by running stream,
Never gets thirsty.

Fuzzy bear on road
Crawls across the gray expanse--
Uh-oh, car's coming.

Laura walks ahead;
Gilda trots alongside of her.
Sun paints both of them.

The wind blows the leaves
Sailing them through the sunshine.
They rasp on the road.

Here and there brown hills;
Dead leaves blown into mountains.
Still the warm sun shines.

The woods have no end:
Sun/shade go on forever.
The soft wind whispers.

The old black dog pants,
Lying in the warm sunshine
Then glances at me.

Bright red berries grow
Near the faded white flowers.
Winter is coming.

Shadow blotched road
Marking where the sun is not.
Leaf floats in the light.

Pickup races by
Followed by a whirl of leaves;
Then other leaves float.

The stone angel prays
Touched by the warm Fall sunshine
And blessed by the breeze.

Bright green grasshopper
Flies off road and into grass
Then becomes a blade.

The lone brown mushroom
Disguised among the dead leaves
Stands softly erect.

Basset in the sun
Lies sleeping and unmoving
Mottled like the leaves.

Cottage door's open
Letting in Autumn's breezes--
Sweet whiff of dead leaves.

Flat rock in the woods
Carpeted with light brown leaves;
An Autumn altar.

Cardinal in the bush:
Pastel red against light brown,
Flutters into flight.

Translucent Fall leaves
Take the sun and absorb it;
Opaque with a cloud.

The woods are dark now,
Sunlight driven from the leaves
Because of one cloud.

A flurry of leaves
Flying hectic to the ground;
Wind roars in the woods.

It's cold this morning;
Sun's lower than yesterday.
Still the rooster crows.

Smells are fainter now;
Just the dry must of dead leaves.
Second day of Fall.

Cat on the stone walk
Freezes as it smells and hears.
Far off a bird chirps.

My shadow's ahead
Stepping crisp into sunshine,
But then disappears.

Sun lit pine needles:
One spider's strand touches them
Seen for a second.

Asters, goldenrod
Grow together on the bank
And share it with moss.

The ancient stone wall
Crumbling around the old tree
Creates an altar.

A bed of clover
Their heads turned to face the sun
Don't even see me.

The green leaves tremble,
Painted yellow by the sun,
Billowed by the breeze.

A mottled tunnel:
Trees bend over sunlit road
Casting their shadows.

Brown in the middle:
Fuzzy bear caterpillar
Foretells mild winter.

Bright-dark, sun and shade
Woods are three dimensional.
Have they always been?

Leaves float towards me
Shaken by September's breeze,
And land silently.

A grand pile of shit--
Could this be a giant dog
Or small elephant?

Sun blinds through the trees
Splashing warmth upon my face,
Shadows on the road.

Crows are arguing;
Who knows what is their dispute.
The sound is hollow.

Cat and butterfly:
The cat wants to fly also
(Or at least eat it).

Short sleeved shirt weather;
Colors are starting to turn.
The rasp of dry leaves.

Leaf falls to the ground;
Hundreds of moist leaves await
Untouched by the breeze.

A pool of wetness
Glistens beneath mottled trees.
Mirror in the woods.

Holy milkweed plant
Stands pockmarked in the sunshine--
Some creature's breakfast.

Still the woods are still;
Sunlight falls through the green leaves
And makes not a sound.

Feather in the grass
Trembles with the passing car
Its owner long flown.

Dead leaves on a tree
Far outnumber the living.
When will they fall?

Raindrops fall gently;
Crows caw in the soft gray clouds;
Leaves go tap tap tap.

Raindrops touch the woods,
Leaves and stream make tapping sounds;
A blizzard of leaves.

The little dog sleeps
Framed in the cottage window
Soft grayness around.

The weathered tree stump
Divided into five parts
Painted green with moss.

Green lines in the road;
Lichen moves from the forest
To fill up the cracks.

The goldenrod glows
Sticking out from the hill's bank
Bright in the gray sky.

Cricket in the woods
Invisible, persistent
Chirps in the gray day.

Sky is pregnant gray;
The road is slick and shiny;
Smell of wood smoke.

Firm breeze and bright sun;
Pickup zips around the bend
Its tires whooshing.

Dancing road shadows
Quiver and then become still.
Lone goose honks above.

Soft whispering stream
Bubbles gently through the woods
Shining then dimming.

The road is silent;
A squirrel bounds into the woods.
Still there is no sound.

Black dog on the road:
My sometime walk companion
Wags her way to me.

A "V" in the trees:
View of another mountain.
Green beyond the green.

Humming tire wheels;
The hollow wind in my ears;
Crows caw and geese honk.

A dog barks somewhere;
The stream bubbles endlessly.
I watch my shadow.

Crisp Sunday morning;
The shadows are sharp and clear,
The sky crystalline.

Cat on barn driveway
Ambles without a care
And then disappears.

Squirrel crosses the road
Blending swiftly with shadows.
Now it's up the tree.

Garter snake on road
Coils mouth open to attack;
Doesn't know I'm safe.

The woods are shadows
Illumined by shades of green
And bright beige patches.

Squirrel zips across road;
Attaches itself to tree.
Motion to stillness.

Car zips up the road,
Cyclist zooms down the same road;
Then there is stillness.

My Yerry Hill Road:
I walk it a thousand times
And still don't know it.

Mother snake on road
Lies crushed with many babies.
Peaceful killer street.

Blue sky and gray clouds;
Queen Anne's lace and goldenrod;
A flutter of birds.

Sparkling spider nets
Hold water drops in the field.
But where are the bugs?

Dog wrestles a cloth
In the small cottage window.
No sound of his growls.

Sunshine in the woods
Makes mottled patterns of light.
Now the sky is blue.

Pine trees seem fuzzy;
Sun filters through the needles
And makes a green haze.

Blue chicory plants
Spring up by the road side
Waiting for a ride.

Sparkling tree glistens
Shadows quiver in the breeze.
Ant crosses the road.

Spider web hammock
Stretches between blades of grass
Waiting patiently.

The clouds disappear;
Shadows appear on the road.
The stone path glistens.

Murmur of a stream;
Limp ribbon hangs from a tree;
Signs of a rain storm.

White butterflies dance.
Flutter over blue flowers.
They don't seem to rest.

White fluff in window
Comes to life barking and yipping
And then settles down.

Woods are moist and green;
Leaves filter all the sunlight.
Rich smell is layered.

Small orange sparkles:
Jewel weed clusters by the road.
Truck does not notice.

Large poop in the road.
Must have been a giant dog
(Or something unknown).

Flies in eyes and ears;
What is it they hope to get?
They just piss me off.

Orange squashes on road:
Red efts that did not make it.
They keep on coming.

Mirrors by the road:
Rain puddles in the stream bed
Soon sink into earth.

Beginning again
The long/short summer over
My haiku journey

Everything is still;
My steps return to the road.
Just where have I been?

Fence is lush with weeds;
The field billows with beige hay;
Fly buzzes in my ear.

The leaves shake gently;
Butterfly zags zanily;
The light is muted.

Jewel weed lines the road;
Old black dog still sleeps on porch;
Sun peeps through the clouds.

Acorns in the road
Scattered about playfully.
Where are the squirrels?

Bright blue chicory,
Orange jewel weed, Queen Anne's Lace,
Red Marlboro box.

It's short sleeves now;
Rooster crowing, birds chirping;
Puffed clouds fill the sky.

Robin on a fence
Stands stiffly balancing then
Teeters into flight.

Sun peeks out from clouds
Shedding shadows on the road;
Stream burbles softly.

Outside green prevails;
Inside, t.v. colors splash.
Here the air smells sweet.

The sun is hiding;
Now there are no more shadows.
Only the birds speak.

Car rides by swiftly;
A young woman waves at me.
A passing sweetness.

Here the stream's empty;
Grass is growing in its bed.
Look! Budweiser can.

Centipede on road
Slinks swiftly to other side.
What will it do there?

The sun splashes me;
Rooster calls from the dark barn.
Insects are humming.

Small white parachute
Floats above the sunny road.
Poof! Dandelion.

Yellow flashing light:
School bus stops for a student
But there is no one there.

Morning sun on bush;
Dark tunnel between the trees;
Shadows in the woods.

Brown path in the woods;
Small pools of sun melt the dark.
Does it go no where?

The birds are chirping;
The morning sun splashes me;
My dumb mind chatters.

Dogs in the window
Yip and yap behind the screen.
Best that they stay there.

Shepherds on a leash
Turn and see me and then tug.
What is it they want?

Lumbering black dog
Walks stiffly towards me and stops;
We check each other.

Top of leaning tire
Looks like an old black turtle.
Perhaps it is one.

Small purple flowers
At the edge of the lush woods.
A car races by.

Amidst the lush green
The stiff sign pops out and up:
This Road is Private.

Faint tiny drumbeats:
The rain patters in the woods;
Maple leaf quivers.

Burst of purple:
Flowers near "No Parking" sign.
Are they illegal?

High grass in the field
And daisies and buttercups.
Where is the snow now?

Light misting of rain;
The air is clean, the trees green,
The clouds soft and gray.

Cones in the field;
Markers of yesterday's games;
High grass surrounds them.

A dark green morning;
The deer takes its time walking;
The woods are brimming.

The woods are so dark;
The sky is gray and pregnant;
The world is waiting.

Christmas ornaments
Still hanging from the mailbox
Concealed by high grass.

Hollow woodpecker
Competes with high pitched chirps;
Bird lands on the road.

Everything is still
Save the whisper of the brook
And the pesky bug.

Gray sky is waiting;
Soon it will open itself;
Its secret is when.

Light misting of rain;
The air is clean, the trees green,
The clouds soft and gray.

Cones in the field;
Markers of yesterday's games;
High grass surrounds them.

A dark green morning;
The deer takes its time walking;
The woods are brimming.

The woods are so dark;
The sky is gray and pregnant;
The world is waiting.

Christmas ornaments
Still hanging from the mailbox
Concealed by high grass.

Hollow woodpecker
Competes with high pitched chirps;
Bird lands on the road.

Everything is still
Save the whisper of the brook
And the pesky bug.

Gray sky is waiting;
Soon it will open itself;
Its secret is when.

Light misting of rain;
The air is clean, the trees green,
The clouds soft and gray.

Cones in the field;
Markers of yesterday's games;
High grass surrounds them.

A dark green morning;
The deer takes its time walking;
The woods are brimming.

The woods are so dark;
The sky is gray and pregnant;
The world is waiting.

Christmas ornaments
Still hanging from the mailbox
Concealed by high grass.

Hollow woodpecker
Competes with high pitched chirps;
Bird lands on the road.

Everything is still
Save the whisper of the brook
And the pesky bug.

Gray sky is waiting;
Soon it will open itself;
Its secret is when.