Photo by Valentin Petkov on Unsplash

I left the fringe of pine and maple
spreading their peace beside the lake,
the soft path of their humus winding through.
No more will I see three Canada geese
perform their spring tableau on the rippled water
of Hay Lake in spring.

But here there is a feathery pine waving long branches
close by.  And the young maples by the deck
turn their leaves with a flirting
as city water from a hose quenches the dry soil.

And small brown birds bathe at the top of the pond.
They shake their feathers on the rock surround.
Raspberry canes flow over.
No golden rod is here, but asparagus fern
waves with grace beneath the gleam of crescent moon.

August, 2005