Flowers need a promise

Diana Fritillary butterfly on Mike Harbour’s Zennias.

As flickering bits of confetti,
torn paper cast they float
attaching to flowers and trees.

Flashes of sparkling color,
iridescent hues of the rainbow
trace these aerial spindly creatures.

The trees are telling nature
to get ready for the season’s child
a capricious snowy headed cherub.

Yet here are the last hangers-on,
pausing to pose for a picture
then gliding away to another petal.

Do they smell the air as I,
a mosaic breath of warmth, chill,
blended with damp dead leaves, and musk.

Rest arises from the earth
pushing furry babes to deep burrows,
proclaiming sleep will save you.

Gray has muted the sun’s light,
scudding clouds have dismissed it
they forage to drop their burden.

I wonder why the butterflies linger
defying the moment to drink the last nectar,
fall is waiting with its frosty wings.

Maybe it is because only their kiss
can comfort summer’s passing flowers
to promise resurrection in the spring.

©2012, Donald Harbour

Life will continue renewed

The wind rustles the branches,
bones of trees with dying leaves,
the rattle is a cacophony of color,
gold, amber, orange, purple and red,
dancing, gleefully screaming a farewell,
holding as long as possible to the bough.

The music of fall sighs and whispers
across the meadow of brown grasses.
There is peace in the melody,
gently grating away the summer dust,
turning back the covers to an autumn bed.

A winter wisp of mare tails in the sky,
with frosty lips, North announces its coming.
Each breath a chilling knife,
carving away the husk of the past,
sculpting the delivery of a new year.

It is enchanting, a marvelous display,
a gift of reassurance that life
will continue renewed, refreshed,
nurtured by the promise of time and,
the earths fragile balance with nature.

Copyright: 2009, Donald Harbour