Atmosphere
Greek goddess of clouds Nephele
Nephele parades her variety of cloudscapes
above Santa Lucia mountain ridges
across faded blue denim
while I watch from northern hilltop.
Near-dawn daylight paints muted colors,
flaunts pastel pink and peach
nimbostratus streaks in the east,
glitters oak leaf edges.
Every day offers something distinctive,
mid-level altocumulus near noon,
thin cirrus during afternoon nap,
or my favorite lenticular island in the sky.
Winter storms churn purple shadows,
blast sharp darts of lightning,
dispense scarce precipitation from dark billows,
color the west in ginger and gold.
Coastal mist prowls here most days
over southern peaks or wanders upriver,
cools sweltering summer days,
blesses my inland valley.
At dusk during autumn evenings
the last few clouds gather offshore.
Crimson and cobalt flames
blaze sunset splendor.
Laura Bayless is the author of four collections of poetry. Her most recent is Chairs in the River published by FutureCycle Press. Her poems have appeared in local and national publications, including Porter Gulch Review and The Homestead Review, as well as the recent Second Wind anthology. She co-edited an award-winning complication of stories and poems about the Carmel River - Passion for Place. She is also an Associate Editor of the Monterey Poetry Review. Previous to the past pandemic year she attended the Art of the Wild conference in Squaw Valley, California and was an occasional host at the poetry readings at Old Capitol Books in Monterey. In addition to writing poetry, Laura explores creativity through collage and photography.
Greek goddess of clouds Nephele
Nephele parades her variety of cloudscapes
above Santa Lucia mountain ridges
across faded blue denim
while I watch from northern hilltop.
Near-dawn daylight paints muted colors,
flaunts pastel pink and peach
nimbostratus streaks in the east,
glitters oak leaf edges.
Every day offers something distinctive,
mid-level altocumulus near noon,
thin cirrus during afternoon nap,
or my favorite lenticular island in the sky.
Winter storms churn purple shadows,
blast sharp darts of lightning,
dispense scarce precipitation from dark billows,
color the west in ginger and gold.
Coastal mist prowls here most days
over southern peaks or wanders upriver,
cools sweltering summer days,
blesses my inland valley.
At dusk during autumn evenings
the last few clouds gather offshore.
Crimson and cobalt flames
blaze sunset splendor.
Laura Bayless is the author of four collections of poetry. Her most recent is Chairs in the River published by FutureCycle Press. Her poems have appeared in local and national publications, including Porter Gulch Review and The Homestead Review, as well as the recent Second Wind anthology. She co-edited an award-winning complication of stories and poems about the Carmel River - Passion for Place. She is also an Associate Editor of the Monterey Poetry Review. Previous to the past pandemic year she attended the Art of the Wild conference in Squaw Valley, California and was an occasional host at the poetry readings at Old Capitol Books in Monterey. In addition to writing poetry, Laura explores creativity through collage and photography.
