seasons – Shift Key

Haiku 14.21

the loudest bird got
my attention chirping that
spring is near or here

winter disappeared
today seventy with sun
praise God in response

give thanks for the big
and little things even in
the face of COVID

a frigid day with
freezing rain and grass crunching
beneath each footstep

winter wind gusts
howl through the
neighborhood

the houses shake
this is the type of
wind that sends

trash cans flipping
down the street
and could blow you

off your feet yet the
sounds of the children
playing outside rise

and fall only to get
lost in the wind

night comes in under
the treetops reflecting the
the last light of day

ho ho ho ho ho
ho ho ho ho ho ha ha
ho ho ho ho ho

I do not have a
chimney but this will not keep
Santa from his rounds

the trees took their cue
from the cold snap and
their leaves started

their silent descent
I think this is our first
gray day of winter

even the streetlight is
lost in the sky behind it
which made me reflect

I have never blended in
or stood out not that it
really matters

the weather and the
changing seasons never
depress me but it is

the wind that reminds
me of where I have been
and my failures in life

which are the stepping-
stones between the
victories along the way

and the victories to come

I stepped outside for a break
right into a cold front. My hot
coffee won’t stay hot long.

Wind gusts are pushing
through the trees like a
downhill locomotive.

The force of winter has nothing
in its way. The fall is forgotten
but my brain is still in sandals.

first cold day with a
morning frost the air feels good
and smells so so sweet

from the get-go today
there were no clouds

a slight wind and the
sun was strong all day

if it weren’t for the
heater kicking on you

would think it was
still summer well it

looks like it but I had
to wear a coat to go

out to check the mail
I told myself I was

warm enough but they
say tonight will be the

first freeze of winter

I pray all the pestilence
on our planet will perish

with summer