Five Falls / Five Springs

The line grew slack-- a miracle.
Along with me, he slowed and stood,
And watched a cloud of red-winged birds
Wheel and drop--
A kerchief draped with us inside.

Swallowed by their song of Home,
I held my breath and heard
A spell which forced my pause.

As I looked, a line drew near of geese,
And neatly flapped above the bony tree
To form a cross with those black birds and me,
Rooted to a panting dog.

Layers of life from cloud to earth,
Strata of feathers and skin and hide,
Together we breathed,
Above and below,

Until that dog, beside himself, leapt forth,
And off they flew.

Beauty has a razor edge
And memory, too.
Joined they are a fearsome pair.

I watched them go, and cried,
And heard my father's voice,
Who, in spite of all the dark he feared,
Faced the sky each fall and said
Spring is just around the bend.


______________________



11/10/14
For my dad, who loved trees in fall and peepers in spring.
We miss you.