There's something relentless
in an old stone wall...
But, also, cold and dead.
One knows it will not stand forever --
that it will go the way of
ruins, rubble, stones, and dust --
but, still, it can outstand any man.
Ivy climbs to camouflage the stone's
cruel deathlessness,
But then the ivy stands on the wall
year after year after year...
seedpod rattle
is silenced by ice crust
on Winter branches.
tufts of grass poke
through a dusting of snow;
tomorrow -- mud!
stony fortress,
moated: turtle stretches neck
out to sniff the air.
startled squirrel drops
its nut; so sad for it, but
we all get a tree.
Turtle exits its hiding place
beneath a rotten log.
Its shell snags on that old, dead wood
he drags the log along.
Does he know that he's double-shelled?
He seems so unaware.
When he breaks free, he gains no speed --
just crawls on like he don't care.
A stump in the forest
is like a gap in a
wedding party photo
where they photoshopped
out a renegade relative,
but forgot to erase
the person's loafers.
Winter mornings:
fog forms on the river --
moments numbered.
Tiger Riding for Beginners 