'February, Colden Valley' and Other Poems

February, Colden Valley

The old mill chimney, brushed by a track of snow,
points to a house on the hill obscured by trees;
bare trees against cloud, blue sky. Birdsong.
River sound runs through the valley.

Beech branches, twigs against sky.
Black, silver-grey on powder blue.
Green trunk old beech, old green
evergreen, part-shade, part-sun.
One mast, framed. Lines of soft grey,
white cloud, sky the palest blue.
Land folds into valley, distant hills.

Bright moss in sunlight on the dry stone wall,
bright green feathery underwater green.
Gathered damp the stone's coat.
Sycamore seeds, last year's rested here,
...