december
1.
humanity’s trees
will see what happens
in the middle of nowherethanks for the update and for
the only thing that
the only thing is[all but the first line written with keyboard suggestions]
2.
southeastward yellow
sunrise unfurls its
brief banner of buoyant bluesky a longing lavender
ladder to climb out
of darkening thoughts3.
clouds above below
the morning fog that
rubs its back along the hillssunrise a momentary
dream field of faintly
glowing marigolds4.
again great river
bring down new colors
ravaged tinged periwinkleblanched silverfringed brakelight orange
long-distance lovelight
mirrored memories5.
morning’s rhythmic
glacial paradox
speed of light and enormousinfinitesimal near-
ness near pausing
distantly changing6.
drab slab of monday
sky like a weak nudge
when a hammer’s what’s neededto crush the brain’s hard dark beans
and steep them in light
to negate the night7.
the bridge to winter
carries my gray dreams
over the great gray riverreflecting the absence of
the consolation
of sunrise or sleep8.
immaculate sun
rising in the wind
bursting from under blanketsof clouds a woman waking
on her fortieth
birthday breathing light9.
the disappointment
of seeking sunrise
in the sadness of a towna pretty how town but sad
in its brushfire heart
and cloud drift dream light*
cauldron of morning
burning through bare limbs
over unaware rooftopsdistant furnace fire glowing
deep in the heart of
impending winter10.
the gods’ persimmons
glowing in the east
queen of heaven pray for usand clouds like fermenting plums
storing drunken sleep
for the winter blues11.
a river’s disguise
of cloud-cloaked sunrise
at the railroad bridge at dawna light afoot that muggles
don’t notice climbs a
dark enormity12.
humble lovely bridge
unassuming violet
clouds with creamy brightcurlicues of light
dispelling autumnal night
and darkness’s arc13.
cable bridge sunrise
black dog rabbitbrush
river flowing in the nowcarrying gifts to the sun
frankincense skyline
clouds of mystic myrrh14.
the sun is rising
behind a curtain
of dark and light shades of bluebehind the blue bridge that spans
the big blue river
glistening with birds15.
beguiled by colour
three time zones away
when i woke far too earlyand my co-conspirator
televideoed
what i then screenshot16.
thin band of faintly
gleaming alice blue
sandwiched by bland grey aboveand the numb brown of autumn’s
somber surrender
to winter below17.
words are too worn out
or not worn enough
insufficient to the taskthey can only fall prostrate
to the snowy ground
and stammer eastward18.
approaching solstice
no sun evident
just snow and fog and the soundof the day reluctantly
getting underway
and blessëd coffee19.
this is what passes
for sunrise winter
standing at the door smilinggrimly icy sickle teeth
somber cloudy shrouds
and christmas cookies20.
flying towards sunrise
breathing burning coals
glowing from last night’s campfireclouds are smoldering ashes
powdery and dark
the airplane my tent21.
reconciled to snow
back yard relaxes
into the mind of winterpandemic blessings
glad isolation
gold nugget sunrise22.
jesus in the snow
nature’s new year’s day
you want to travel with himand you want to travel blind
across the water
to that paradise23.
clouds stained with the night
drift casually
over sweet potato skiesthe river used to freezing
this time of year gives
itself to sunrise24.
tanager-like sun
beginning its slow
migration from solstice daytowards the spring equinox
furtively orange
bringing glad tidings25.
sun costuming clouds
on christmas morning
out the window all we seeis snow falling on the warm
antiquity of
self and flakes of love26.
behold the sunrise
masked to protect us
from deadly december raysthe virus of happiness
that would infect us
if we dare let it27.
no one waiting here
hear the beating heart
now here now nowhere no onethe heart of winter waiting
no one hearing now
here one sunrise pulse28.
winter means something
snow some nothing thing
hiding something underneathsunrise hidden like a bulb
a magic nothing
a secret something29.
there is no sunrise
no rise no risen
sun hidden within itselfkeeping its own secret safe
for the hills and trees
frozen in their dreams30.
the bleak midwinter
the bleak midwinter
the bleak midwinter the bleakmidwinter is in my soul
sunrise on my mind
the bleak midwinter31.
we wake up and drive
to the horizon
to inspect the frozen fogconcealing the last sunrise
of this year of grace
the day of your birth
Omicron for Christmas
We’re dreaming tonight of a place we love
Even more than we usually do
And although we know it’s a long road back
We promise you
We’ll be home for Christmas
If we pass the test
Travel bans and Omicron
Have made us feel less blest
Christmas eve will find us
Feeling Covid-19
We’ll be home for Christmas
After we quarantine
Omicron for Christmas
You can count on us
Please get your booster and wear your mask
And do not ride the bus
Christmas eve will find us
In our quarantine
We’ll be home for Christmas
When the CDC declares we’re clean