Today the snow fell
in a thick matte over these hills
that never see it;
Because chill wind fears the valley
but some winter days the afternoon sun
wards no gray clouds
So they
crinkle the leaves in frosting
and the sun sinks; defeated
Gray light begins to
falter in the distance,
the ashen red has moved in.
A perfect picture of still
unfolds before human eyes
open at 2 a.m --
They climb the creaking branches,
crawl the valley's curves, take wing
and wonder, "What is beauty?
How could we have learned for years
and not known this?"
Then decide: better that beauty be ineffable.
---
I used to wish I could share
moments like these;
I no longer wish I could
share this moment;
Now it is mine only; only now it is yours;
Like all those moments we shared, and
at the end of day wished we had written,
not to read again, for never is it the same,
but to exist for ever as it was, somehow;
I believe -- because you believe
each fallen snowflake deserves a tale.
