catch up orchid

 

paper porcelain petals

bisque brittle

a protruding mouth with

spiked curled bottom lip

and delicate red stripes like 

blood vessels in the eye

Belated stone

washed up from yesterday
smooth chalky surface
cold to the touch
underside less mottled
almost imperceptible arrow mark
if only it could speak

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