Thursday, December 24, 2015

The Geese of December


The Geese of December

Ten O’clock, One, 
Four- Fifteen 
Geese 
and then more 
quarreling 
in the night and into dawn
on the swooning dark lake 
hundreds 
floating, splashing in all directions
all over
in the unexacting warm air.
Where are they to go,
what is the front runner thinking?
There should be ice,
there should be snow drifts, 
after-all 
this is Wisconsin in December.
They are landing, 
swimming in circles,
and on shore the robin
is under a bush, 
hopping and hungry,
the garden is mush, the grass, 
an August green 
this December 20th.
Evergreens are hanging
in the windows lit 
with white electric candles.
I’m up. 
Who can sleep?
The next moment tulips will sprout, 
black water will be up 
to our window sills.
Oh, glorious birds
in the night like honking sirens.
We should be 
making plans to fly somewhere safe.



3 comments:

  1. love the immediacy of this report of our Wisconsin world!

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  2. Tara here. Yes! I too love the timeliness - a poetry bulletin!

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  3. love this Mary, and so true--Merry Christmas to you!

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