branches in the sky,
leafless in the winter cold...
exposed arteries

morning fog recedes,
revealing the rolling hills
and winter bare trees

holiday coffee,
the dark of the solstice night
steaming in my cup
∎

my favorite month
swallows the brumal solstice...
the sun born anew
∎

November half-light...
sun's blood in the western sky
and the hallway floor
∎

autumnal palate
in the foliated leaves,
and the twilight skies

everything gray, dull...
the statue of the Buddha
as seen through the snow

snow on the Buddha...
everything still, motionless,
muted by the cold
∎

morning light beyond,
in the bleakness of winter —
a promise of hope

sparrows on the wire,
silhouettes in the dawning
of the morning light
∎

laundry on the line,
sunlight on the windowsill...
the empty tables
∎