Honey, Snow, FallA bear at the top of the treefighting bees forthe honey they makeThe bear lumbers awayfilled with honeya snowflake settlesand more followfalling from the skyannouncing winter's return
Stranger, Slave, ChosenWalking into unknown territoryStranger to my surrowndingsUnfimilliar with the landscapePeople, people everywhereCrowding the city, lacking connection to mePeople, people strange to meIgnoring me, ignoring meBut one has noticed meHas chosen meOf all the peoplePeople, the one walks up to meAnd talks to me and falls for mePeople, people crushing us,Forcing us to each otherWe play the same
Noise, broken furniture, glass-shardsAll barely miss my headSchool-bags, pencilcases and jackets,Hostages to trade for stolen rubbersFootsteps in the distanceDoor opens with a bangChair-leg scrapes teacher's faceQuiet fills the room"Where is your teacher!?"Guiltily honest faces answer,"Photocopying papers, miss."Door closes; riot returnsShrieking girl jumps out the windowThank God we're on the fourth floorI'm knocked over by a flying bodyYelled obscenities fill the room
Consulting summer's clock,But half the hours remain.I ascertain it with a shock --I shall not look again.The second half of joyIs shorter than the first.The truth I do not dare to knowI muffle with a jest.
The frog half fearful jumps across the path,And little mouse that leaves its hole at eveNimbles with timid dread beneath the swath;My rustling steps awhile their joys deceive,Till past,--and then the cricket sings more strong,And grasshoppers in merry moods still wearThe short night weary with their fretting song.Up from behind the molehill jumps the hare,Cheat of his chosen bed, and from the bankThe yellowhammer flutters in short fearsFrom off its nest hid in the grasses rank,And drops again when no more noise it hears.Thus nature's human link and endless thrall,Proud man, still seems the enemy of all.
The Winters are so short --I'm hardly justifiedIn sending all the Birds away --And moving into Pod --Myself -- for scarcely settled --The Phoebes have begun --And then -- it's time to strike my Tent --And open House -- again --It's mostly, interruptions --My Summer -- is despoiled --Because there was a Winter -- once --And al the Cattle -- starved --And so there was a Deluge --And swept the World away --But Ararat's a Legend -- now --And no one credits Noah --