Night-colored water rushes forward

even though the cold

has bludgeoned its shores

into stiff walls

incapable of movement.

 

Fallen leaves glitter

like jewels in the snow.

Bold willow branches

wave their red audacity

in the face of purity.

 

Snowflakes tumble

from the sky’s pink pores,

joining the flow,

another cycle complete.

 

Naked trees shiver

while birds,

fat with food and feathers,

punctuate their stark poetry.

 

Ice murals preserve

memories of seasons past,

while the river sews

intricate patterns

into their collars.

 

Stillness spreads

among shriveled fruits,

dried grass, abandoned nests.

The world tucks itself in for rest,

the humble lullaby of the water

promising life’s full return.