FOUR SEASONS

Snowflakes,
starry winter-flowers
falling from the far-off sky.

Tumbling lightly,
shining brightly,
dancing downward,

piling high
on the town’s tall garden fences,
roofs of houses;
all around
blanketing the whole wide city.

Icicles,
those glittering crystals,
sun-drenched, gleaming,
can be found.

Winter with its pristine beauty,
cold and sunny months is here.
Sledding, skating,
nothing’s finer
on a day
that’s crisp and clear.

***

Bell-shaped snowdrops, white and green,
lift their heads
and can be seen peeking out
above the snow.
“Winter’s over, don’t you know?”

Crocuses and daffodils
follow suit
and in the breeze
buds burst open
as bare trees
soon are veiled in lightest green.
Mountain ice melts in a stream.
Bears shake off long winter’s dream.
Spring-fever gripped I breathe the air
of all past springs, so fresh, so fair.

***

Lazy summer afternoon.
Bees are humming as they swoon
in and out of blooms and flowers.
Sun beams down.
A squirrel cowers half asleep inside a tree.
A fragrant breeze pervades the air.
Now stillness hovers everywhere.
A sudden calm comes over me.
A time to feel, to dream, to be.

***

Vibrant autumn colors searing
through the fabric of my soul.
Fragrant earth salts streaming upwards from rich furrows
whence they roll on and on in all directions
entering, mingling with my breath,
flowing out again and bearing my own essence.
Life is in death
and death in life.
Seasons come and seasons go.
Summer is done.

But, oh, the glory of the last flame flaring
rivaling the blazing sun.