February 17, 2025
Where are the birds hiding from the wind?
Even squirrels that feast first on the sunflower seeds
stay home to huddle against wind’s bite
An ice storm that downed trees,
limbs, branches, left piles of debris, a partially denuded landscape,
and redbuds split down the middle, their limbs
hanging by a thread of bark over hungry deer
that browse and graze on green, brown, bark, roots,
staying alive in winter coats.
More wind to follow, accompanied by snow, cold and ice
yet daffodils are up 6 inches, responding to longer days
and a warmer sun, their resilience a reminder that spring will come, and light will dispel darkness
Carol Toba