the rock, the stump
the birch bird house
these are the things
that stand in winter
Embers
last year’s leaves
embers of sunshine
defying the cold
Roar
the lion of March
continues to roar
Glow
the willow glows
because she knows
the surety of spring
Mystics
the skeleton of spring
dances in the blue
summoning green
Secluded
birch in the snow
with only their own shadows
for company
Stripes
Trees earn and cast
their stripes in winter
Profiles
noble
winter profiles
outlined in white
Full
trunks buried
up to their branches
the forest is full of snow
Calm
the new day is hushed
quieted by white
a calm dawn
Descending
snowflakes so small
they are felt more than seen
sneaky snow accumulates
Blanket
the February storm
tucks everything in
under a blanket of snow
Likeness
like the mountains
winter rolls on and on
Snug
a little bird house
in the great big woods
at peace in place
Respite
sunlight on birch bark
a respite from winter’s whiteness
Safe Place
the mountain view
is my refuge
Heaven’s View
polka dots of pine
between defrocked trees
that porcupine the mountain
Giants
right sized
I rest
in their wisdom
Morning Fog
low land sleeps
in dreamy white
as the day softly begins
Steady
this winter’s snow
comes and goes
while steady is the cold
Ghosts
fog turns
the oaks to ghosts
but dimmed memories of shade
Time Keepers
the trees by the tracks
keep the train’s schedule
Beyond
a lone pine
and the mountain beyond
behind brave branched trees
Practice
winter is
the practice
of patience
Covered
white brightness
blankets everything
in winter’s wonderland
Pileated
the woodpecker reaches out
for the most succulent frozen crabapple
on the tree
Dreams
winter’s cold breath
obscures the mountains
revealing dreams
Ornamentation
trees adorned with snow
crabapple baubles
nature decorates
Determination
pines and reeds
hold tight to their colors
as winter whitens the landscape
Tree Tales
their shadows tell the stories
the trees themselves
cannot utter