I grow older as days grow shorter
fading too soon to twilight
flowing into the flowering darkness.

A gray and slithering fog greets me
on winter mornings lingering ’til noon
swirling in cold wind and drear damp
while in the near distance tall firs
blend into an evergreen gloaming.

Some winter days the fallow forgotten sun
cold shining clear and transparent
lies low across the southern horizon.
I pull on my warm coat to sit in the chill
watch the sun move through bare tree branches
creating movement of light all around me.

I live in these flickering shadowlands –
diminishing days among silvery threads
woven through the world’s dark lace.

Portland, Oregon – January 30, 2019