Beneath – Page 54 – Iron Haiku

Murder

horror on parade
the fires of war march on while
death wields the baton
–
a murder of crows-
five men lower
their rifles

the sounds of fresh snow
falling in the near darkness
sibilant whispers
–
snowfall-
lost in quiet
conversation

on a raven lake
the moon lies sleeping under
a blanket of stars
–
soft lapping-
the moon unwound
beside me

dark autumn’s collapse
the strongest and tallest trees
were the first to fall
–
velvet shadows-
deep hollows
where winter lies

my view, distorted
looking up from the bottom
of this hole I’ve dug
–
a rimy pond-
peering up through
frozen cataracts

cold drops of silver
spill into the open mouth
of the crescent moon
–
starlight-
a barn owl glides
through leafless trees

standing before you
silent and overexposed
awaiting judgement
–
whitecaps-
riding the edge
of an avalanche

becoming August
fevered skin, heat lightning, and
the promise of rain
–
an azure pond-
fish break the surface
amid the evening rain

falling off my bike
I become one with the earth
for just a moment
–
june twilight-
our vows float away
on paper lanterns

swallowing my doubts
returning day after day
in case you wake up
–
patchwork sunlight-
I brush the sleep
from your lips