Thirteen Haiku

Relentless night rain
Blackens dark soaked shed barn
Restless cows shuffle

Stark etched branches
Black against slate evening sky
Winter orchard sleeps

White coated mountain
Bundled in warm insulating snow
Elk seek lower range

Chilled sun reveals
ice-splintered garden ruins
noon desolation

Leaping flame denies
wild snow-blown crashing winds
stay near fire warmth

frost-sparkled hollowed drifts
planed trackless white
tip toe quail cross

Withered apple falls
Swallowed deep in snow cushion
January silence

Winter silent pines bend low
small snow avalanches slide
needles breathe free

Snow laden branch
Hangs heavy in cold spring sun
Fat robin swings

mud rivulets flee
soot-measled thawing snow
spring sun shimmers

Swift-chatter water
rocked into green-shimmered pools
lurking fish swim deep

tight folded bud
opens to full blown beauty
shatter-petals fall

~~from the original *Rainbow Voices*
[intended for publication in 1996, Dawn Vision Press]
pp. 65 - 68