New Year’s Wetland Ramble
Mist-obscured fireball ascends,
intersects contrails
scratched across sunrise,
illuminates wetland willows,
pastes itself against golden horizon.
In tule-fringed lagoons,
wing-flapping geese flotillas
mournfully honk.
Mud hens mine estuary muck,
extract soggy grubs, tiny snails,
celebrate success
with jaunty tail feather twitches.
It’s 45 degrees,
cold enough for stocking cap,
layered sweatshirt, padded vest,
wind-proof jacket,
thick wool winter mittens.
Icy sunshine fails to dispel fear
of democracy’s demise,
sense of impending destruction.
Daylight oozes above distant indigo hills,
reveals reincarnated willow buds,
tenacious hope,
pairs of chilled morning walkers.
Jennifer Lagier has published twenty-three books, and her work appears in a variety of anthologies and literary magazines. She taught with California Poets in the Schools, edited the Homestead Review, currently edits the Monterey Poetry Review, helps publicize Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium Second Saturday readings. Website: jlagier.net, Facebook: www.facebook.com/JenniferLagier/