of ice, rainbow, cloud, elk, and blustery wind

extremes today

the wind roars today,

though in fits,

as if the world meditates between exhalations

the breathing out explosive as a sneeze,

I look up into the high branches above,

checking out potential widow-makers,

and I work to imagine that the much fiercer winds

two and a half weeks ago would have convinced 

the susceptible to fall,

high in the beech above

a thick section of broken-off tree

hovers,

as if ready to plummet down any time,

I retreat to the screened-in porch,

the day that started out 300 miles to the east

with light freezing drizzle,

that morphed 50 miles east into light rain,

a full rainbow over Lake Junaluska,

then into a heavy mist

that squeezed all around the car

to deny us distance,

we saw a herd of elk that lazed about in a big meadow,

the bull happy and unchallenged

with his genes safe in an abundance of wombs,

now the day ebbs,

warm and blustery as spring.

by Henry H. Walker

December 17, ’16