heartwood

our days of heavy snow
have shattered the plum trees –
snapped their branches until
they stand now in the night
silent as broken men

the rain now exposes them,
these splits in branch
and dangling bough –
only Spring will ascertain
whether the heartwood sustains

My newest chapbook Wandering Wonderful is now available for pre-order from Finishing Line Press.

“when in February, I perch…”

when in February, I perch
on the cuttingly cold stones
of the old front steps,

I tell no one passing by
that I sit in awed admiration
that one plum chooses now to bloom

I tell no one stopping by –
how we both of us are furtive
and beautiful out of season