bird out of the snow

bird out of the snow


It’s the start of another day in the north woods;
twenty degrees, 
four inches of fresh snow on the ground,
thoughts in my head like leftovers
from the day before yesterday
warmed just enough to make
it interesting to my personal sensibilities
of vague innuendo and purpose.

There is no end to contemplating
the parameters of our existence in this world;
a tree standing in the snow
the sun just breaking through the clouds
light wind brushing by my face.

They say stars are but distant suns
their light reaching us years after departure,
Alpha Centauri the brightest and closest
almost four years to arrive,
Orion Nebula almost fifteen hundred
and here I am concerned about how long
it takes to fly from Boston to Cleveland.
Our daily itinerary consists
of appointments, shopping lists
and vital necessity all the while
breathing in life source
inundated by ancient light
stars not even visible
at 8am in the morning. 

Approaching the edge of the river bank
from ten feet below 
an eagle rises from the ice and water
ruffled feathers and silence
sweeping into the empty sky…