Clouds,
Gale grey
And hasty

Full of
Wind-thrift
And mischief,

Steal leaves
And flick
Them

Rotational
And tumbling,
Gimballed on gust

And inconsistency
Tremulous in the trees
Bare branch

And sway
And creak
And core wood

Straining in root-sap
Xylem tendons,
Dormant and slow

But rope strong,
Green strong
Foundation

To the earth’s
Sound clag
And sucking

Cohesive force
To hold the winter
Skeletal

And disrobed,
And canvas blank
For next year’s newness.

© Ben Truesdale and distilledvoice, 2015