sunset

brief moments
ephemeral glory
as good a show as the Northern Lights
sky pale blue green
clouds crushed raspberry ice
ivy black
minutes later all gone

bark

the wild cherry tree's overcoat
smooth yet pock-marked
strong yet delicately marked
stripes defining the form
small twigs daring to extrude
brindle bark

spire

Standing sentinel over our home
delicate tracery, honey stone
spikes and knobbles with a
see-through fragility
home of rooks and pigeons
to the glory of someone's god

wet leaves

dripping, rotting
that big leaf was summer silver and green
now soft, wet brown, flooded winter
fish skeleton-like it has
blown up the hill
a long way from its branch

handmade

smooth, warm, tan leather
wrapped with soft, red thong
smelling of animal, pliable, supple
neatly stitched in yellow
fits in the palm of my hand
made by other hands

Flame

meditative tool, the light glowing down the candle,
black curved wick with red glow into fluttering flame
blue at the core. apricot flame
peace

glass bauble

A glass tear, hand blown in some inferno, now icy, green and luminous