Stones for the River

Monday, September 23, 2019

Oh!
the bougainvillea –
purple splash

tendrils
reach from the vine
seeking

drab trees
brighten overnight –
new blooms

‘I’m nearly ready,’ she says,

‘to wear my Ugg boots outdoors.’

(I think she refers to the extreme cold,

but) her words have me discover:

I’m either eccentric or daring!

I open my door to a cool clear morning – the mountain carved, sharp-edged.

Blooming in sub-tropic winter: geraniums with deep red petals.

Late afternoon light.

Schoolchildren, bags on their backs,

begin traipsing home.

With just a small shift of position, the window shows trees or blank walls.

My garden now empty of the cat who loved it – yet still full of her.