Seasonal — An Image

An artfully altered photo of a fallow meadow.
“Rattlesnake Meadow, December” — C.Birde, 12/21

“I sing a new song

when the months

grow cold,”

her voice carried low

across the landscape’s

scrape & tumble,

“but tune your ear

& you will hear me

crooning

all the same…”

— C.Birde, 12/21

Yawn — An Image

An artfully altered photo of an up-sweep of bare trees, their shadows stretched toward the viewer across drifts of fallen leaves.
“Yawn” — C.Birde, 12/21

“Drift with me

through Autumn’s end,”

she sighed

& said.

“Are you not

as tired

as I?”

— C.Birde, 12/21

Starlings — A Poem

An artfully altered photo representational of a flock of birds.
“Flock” — C.Birde, 12/21

Catching light,

those flecked dark wings speak

of seasons & distance

& time’s ceaseless passing

The cycles repeat

R e p e a t i n g

Gather me

aloft in collective’s embrace

of wingbeats & banking turns

& maneuvers unspoken,

understood by the whole

In spite of all,

I stand pinned below

attentive

The cycle repeating

R e p e a t s

— C.Birde, 12/21

Tea with Autumn — A Poem

An artfully altered photo of fallen leaves.
“Leaf-Fall” — C.Birde, 11/21

Underfoot,

restive shift & drift

of fallen leaves –

maple, oak, hickory.

Above,

broad sky stirred

to depth of blue

half-recalled,

unprecedented.

Linger, Autumn.

The kettle boils –

always have I time

for you.

— C.Birde, 11/21

Affirmation — An Image

An artfully altered photo of a Sweetgum tree, whose leaves have turned yellow and orange, against a blue sky.
“Sweetgum” — C.Birde, 11/21


“I shall wrap myself

in Autumn blue,

stitched all through

with gold,”

— her affirmation glittered,

scattered light

as she spoke —

“& inhale

the pale pink fragrance

of the season’s

final, faded

rose…”

— C.Birde, 11/21

Objection — A Poem

An artfully altered photo of a nest of reddish-purple, dried Oxalis leaves.
“Dried Oxalis” — C.Birde, 11/21

The oxalis –

brought indoors

before first frost,

to save it

from expiry –

drops leaves

       wine-dark

       shriveled

       paper-dry

Tongueless

Mute objection

of cold & dark

to come.

— C.Birde, 11/21

Exchange — An Image

An artfully altered photo of autumn trees reflected in a slip of creek-rippled pond.
“Exchange” — C.Birde, 10/21

“Come…”

Her invitation arrived

in a refrain of gold leaves…

“We’ll watch the exchange

of russet, ochre, bronze

for green…”

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— C.Birde, 10/21

Reflection — A Poem

An artfully altered
“Beeches” — C.Birde, 10/21

Observe,

so sweet a sylvan pair

that for decades,

having side-by-side

together grown,

now glide

smooth torsos

one against another,

entangle limbs,

& gently,

oh, so gently sigh…

Observe & know –

tis yet another

thee & I.

— C.Birde, 10/21

Burnished — An Image

An artfully altered photo looking through the trees of shadow-stroked, leaf-carpeted earth.
“Burnished” — C.Birde, 10/21

“Yes,

day’s length shrinks,

pinched

at either end…”

Her leaf-crowned head

rustled agreement.

“…but I’ve burnished

the light to

g o l d…”

— C.Birde, 10/21