pen and ink, with a wash of white

 

continuity and change

in relationship to partner, to job, to nature, 

I am constant in commitment and experience,

yet I savor the change of season,

the first flowers of leafing spring,

the fruiting of summer, the harvest,

the leaf change, the fall,

bright sun ruled the mountains a few days ago,

last night wind wrecked havoc on sleep and trees,

steady, soaking rain then brought the creek full and loud,

now a wet snow drapes itself over the woods,

and tomorrow is Christmas,

whatever gifts we can appreciate from both continuity and change

can help us know the moment well,

Christmas awakens to a white transformation 

as every line of tree branch

supports inches of a frosting of snow,

the clarity of the pen and ink sketch 

fall makes of summer’s billowed curves,

now overlaid with a soft extravagance,

the forest transformed with a white wash 

gentling the dark clear geometry

grown to catch and hold the sun,

the sketch spring, summer, and fall will build upon,

now it’s winter’s turn to reframe the skeletal sketch with white,

the cold is not enough to hold the creek from flowing and dropping,

though when it splashes onto leaf and branch,

liquid morphs into solid, clear icicles 

like ornaments that glisten in the sun.

by Henry H. Walker

December 24-25, ‘20