BARE TREES


Autumn long past
Limbs hanging silent
Grass turned brown
Snow piled high on branches waiting to bloom

The winter tells the lie
Of spring never coming
And the promise of new beginnings
Slowly the flakes fall to the earth

Then melting and freezing
Occur as one
Ice then a blanket of white
Inch by inch, layer upon layer

Children play at making angels
The streets empty with the cold
Night not far off
Parents begin to worry

A pond frozen in winter's grip
The weight on a branch
A sudden crack
Loud and thunderous in the evening cool

It falls to the ground
Bouncing once then twice
Then settles motionless
The quiet returns as the children enter warm houses

Michael V Hechtman Copyright 2000