Stairs Disguise, Calm Ripples, Branching Out, Through Window

STAIRS DISGUISE

Leaves disguise the stairs
into believing they’re a ramp
until a trip and fall breaks
on top of the ruse.

Leaves grab wind
and flee the scene
leaving stairs
to take the rap.

CALM RIPPLES

Not even a ripple escapes
from the base of the once-tree
speared into the lake some time ago
now ticking time in sundial
shadows instead
of expanding concentric rings
lodged in bark; it’s only an illusion
of grown as the lake moves,
and ripples increase outward.

BRANCHING OUT

The tree once grew vertical —
now reaches horizontal
across the pond,
a bridge for tiny creatures
to patter across without
fear of wetting their feet,
a shadow of limbs
for trout to laze under
in rippling shades
of camouflage.

A crow lands on a branch;
springboards back
into the sky reflected
in backward image
like a tree once
directed upward.

THROUGH WINDOW

Through horizontal bars
of venetian blinds,
through vertical bars
of patio railing
the sun rises above
parallel horizon stretching
barren tree-branch shadows
across pristine snowfall
through coffee cup steam.