Rising up out of the cocoon of darkness

to enter this new day,

air, sky and light made an announcement.

Winter has arrived today.

With barely a moment’s notice,

after so much had happened, the season turned

on this blustery morn.

After each sculpted branch

 is washed

 in a brilliant palette of fire, and

after the blueberry bushes blaze red

in their brilliant glory,

then turn a shy face

 as they drop their leaves.

And after the swifts have flown south,

 I wait.

As I walk toward nearby grasses,

Moving toward scattered peeps and trills of waking wrens

 I meet the graceful cedar tree on the corner.

Her awkward knobby bark beckons me,

calls out to me today… to slow, to touch her.

 With a shiver,

I wrap my wool coat around me tightly.

In synchronicity with this motion

you, are here, my dear friend.

Yes, the thought of you is here,

but mostly

the heart piercing fragility of you, is here.

And I can almost not bear it.

A sweet, dark small of pine needles comforts me,

and quite like a patient soul looking

to the stars in the midnight sky

for guidance,

I wait.

N.L. Reynolds