In Wells Mills Park- II

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Wind sweep-
a silent drift of air would sneak
by but caught by single leaf
sentinel signal
dangled in the calm
Farther from my eye
flocking leaf fingers wave a passing hand
a hiss through standing naked stalks-
advance guard of the distant blow
approaching drone
unseen until whose billows swell
green top crowns
descend to smack
into my face my skin
squeeze tight the tip of nose and toe
burn breath into my lungs, crack my eyes.

Through tears brown leaf sprays cling
defiant of cold and wind
would not fall would not fly
would though softer make bare silhouettes
of branch and bush against the sky
if I
would but allow
and not see death hung dry, erect.

My ear
The sizzling meat sounds hear
Through oak in pale, pale sun
to meet the whoosh, the rush-by
bending needle pine branch
to liberate
with trumpet blare with weightless wave-
Mariah
who declares the day
is hers

My exhaled breath
swims through my teeth
floats on lonely trails to distant sky
without goodbye…

In Wells Mills Park- I

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A spectator walk was my intent
On carved out paths with blazes marked
A stretch for leg and lung
begun
in early morn through cedar bog
bark-knot pine-cone

Before the vroom from off-road
helter-skelter wheels
could shatter silence bird or thought
On quiet needled ribbon roads
through soft-soled yielding rubber boot
the bump and push
of root and rock

Where grey green skeletal sponge-like things
reveal themselves
Surprise!
where tufted moss climbs trunk
splats of emerald Hope
catch winter sun lead my way
through filtered slanting ray
bounce tiny jewels into my eye
off patient twig at rest

Surprise!
A dappled snow bank remnant
down below
in moist dark bog-hollow

a footnote near
a close-nailed narrow bridge
to cross
with creaking cold footstep
freezing mud, crystal craze
phase change
icy water sheets crunch
echoes into the air.

In huddled laurel grove away
droop satin curled yet green clusters
resist the freeze
point heavenward small spring tips
excited by too-warm days
fooled by melting rains
Wait for-
tomorrow’s nose dive dead fall drop
best beware, best heed Frost warning:
keep cold…

End of Part I

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