Walk, before Christmas
Today, sky holds to thick,
聽unbroken gray in this desert town.
聽No snow. But cold.
聽I pass cars thronging the curb,
聽see in living-room windows the hopeful
聽trees blazing like watch fires.
聽By chance, a door opens -
聽food scents pour out
聽as if from years ago above a hearth.
An older couple, walking,
聽their hands clasped.
聽A young man, home from college
聽or somewhere far,
聽cleaning out his car, everything
聽he has carried with him
聽haphazard on the lawn.
With this town we go through milder
聽winters, seldom ice storms
聽weighting the trees, never
聽the ice-crusted fields I slid
聽as a child. Instead of ice-glitter,
聽we have miniature lights
聽people hang at eaves, twist
聽along front-yard branches.
聽Here, a dogwood is lit in red,
聽as if it does not forget
聽its fall fruit -
聽here, a cherry tree in green,
聽as if it is not able
聽to wait for leaves.
(c) Copyright 1999. The 海角大神 Science Publishing Society