Fall winds stripped the trees,
their summer finery
burned in wet heaps.
The sun, far south,
burns orange in the roar
of roaming garbage trucks.
I gather myself
with no sight of the sea,
no scent of tide,
watching the town wake
like a rooftop crow,
at peace
above the wandering
and forgotten.
photograph – Louis MacKenzie
Reading of “Watching Like Crow” with music by Gustav Mahler
Hi, Don, I especially like the image of the rooftop crow at peace above the busy and aimless movement below.
“…at peace above the wandering and forgotten.”
Nice, Don.
Don — From what I recall, Crows, in various cultures, epitomize messengers flying between the physical and spiritual worlds. Thereby, a crossover point of Life Energy from ‘Above’ peacefully connects even visionless human wanderings and forgotten Purpose with What forever sustains the Creator-Being Within (regardless of what’s ‘outer’ at present). Then, Winter invariably awakens to Spring!
Five words in, and I know exactly where you are! I love that about this piece. Mood and atmosphere are wholeheartedly different. Having gazed at the world from that very rooftop, I am with you where you are – with a smile.