January Spring

Golden light fills my room
the window amber in the sun.
I open the window
to a rain washed earth
dazzling in morning light.

The storm is past
warm sun has overcome
winter’s darkness.

Snow melted rivulets
race down the hillsides
to the river.
The snow is gone.
In wonder I murmur
The snow is gone.

Like the snow,
winter cold and
fatigue within me
melt
evaporating
in the light of the dawn.

The woods call to me.
Footsteps sinking
in wet brown grass
fringed with new green
freed from its blanket of snow.

At the feeder,
close enough to touch,
black and white
crowned with scarlet,
a downy woodpecker.

Wet winter slopes,
dark hemlock
water seeping over
moss ringed stone,
chipmunk has left his burrow
eating seeds
in warm winter sun.

Bright sunlight,
warm winter night,
snow melts,
January Spring.