Outlines


Nature traced the line of every branch and limb.
She favors highlights in white.

Layers


The granite layer cake was frosted with snow.
It keep well for several centuries at room temperature.
When the sun often licked off all the icing
the sky simply applied another layer.

Rejoice


Glory to God in the highest
and peace on earth,
goodwill toward men.

The Heart of Ice


Hope is the energy that beats the heart.
Light is its manifestation.
Love fills the space in between.

Snake and Bird


In the winter landscape
the snake with his skin of leaves and grass
hunts the water bird.

Winter’s Day


The sky moves as fast as the days are short.
Cold is gathering, gathering, gathering.

Solitude


Alone in the fields
contemplation holds my hand.
Reverence is my path.

Snowcaps


The branches wear snow caps,
fluffy hats of cotton white,
at the behest of old man winter.

Sacred Shape


When Buddha and the Madonna met
their spirits left a sacred shape
a touchstone for peace and practice.

Wind and Reeds


The river wears the weather like a skin
a snake skin she sheds from season to season
She slithers into winter, slowly slowed until dormant.

Garland


Mother Nature decorates the pines with garlands of vines.

Bare

Naked branches await
their winter coats of white.

In the Valley

In the quiet of the valley
farms and forest prepare themselves
for the demands of winter.

Curl


A frozen wave encircles the dormer window.
The tube can be ridden from inside the house
until it is dissolved by the sun.