Cold Snap

COLD SNAP/12-27-04

the earth rolls dawnward,
and this frozen darkness gives way
to a dazzleshot morning, brilliantly

the juncos shiverstretch,
numbly weave through stiff old teasel, then
warmed nimbly thread leafnaked apple trees, impossibly

the whole world sparks,
electric under cold diamond-edged sunlight
flinging rainbows, extravagantly

the light scatters,
gathers again, fleeing back
into the quickening newblue bowl of sky, radiantly

the trees stretch,
to catch a dreamribbon of bird dance
in their sapdrained, winterbrittle fingers