Summer

early crescent moon -
one pale sliver of courage
holds back the darkness

- published in FreshOut, Nov 2022

beneath each lantern
a hot moon pitched against sky -
endless midnight runs

- published in Scarlet Dragonfly, Dec 2022

bright steel drum bounces
as glass crunches in a wound -
summer carnival

smudge on a lens -
robin's face distorted
for both of us

riverbank estate -
mob of younger wingnut trees
surround the willow

ravaging wildfires -
the pinch as cold steel restrains
a swelling finger 

downtown traffic -
a clutch of sharply dressed birds
slip through the crowds

howling wind dies -
the playful splashing
of a small frog

glistening fig -
silent pools of sour milk
disappearing

blue melts to yellow
while rough clouds soften - 
torn basil distracts

sleeping duckling
swells with each shallow breath -
creaking willow

three swallows waltz down
silent victorian street -
lonely red watchers

different wind brings
faint tapping on the window -
thunderous applause

velvet horizon -
squirrel plotting his next route
from the chimney stack

open window -
warm rain softly buckles
maple leaves

scratch at the night sky -
reveal the wax puppeteer 
of furious tides

liquid gold chases
burnt sole across the shallows -
five fishermen watch

cascading ribbons -
salmon dance with butterflies
above white bubbles

fresh swirling oats cool
sunrise dredging lake's shadows -
recharge your senses

woven surf blankets
rolling blues from cloudless still -
hidden dolphin stirs

wild poppies bleed through
the rubble of a red brick
house - soothing anguish

blinding sun forgets
night's damp embrace - sunset is
inevitable

two chuckling piglets
dash between ripe champagne fields -
a daring escape

starlings pair across 
golden skies – accusations
denied by their song