HALF LIGHT MIS-TAKEN
By Monica Devine, Eagle River
Today is not a day I dreamed it will be summer, always
not a day I longed for tall grasses to froth
like winded sea waves
not a day I wished to hike hills
the color of grasscloth.
How could I?
Light clears the ridge for the first time
in two months and
a vicious storm brews behind my eyes
go ahead, place your hand on my heart, feel the trembling
Up here the air is thin, the sky cerulean blue
un-warmed by a brief slant of sun
another cold snap, my tears freeze
please, will it be summer, always?
Put an end to yearning:
no more talking, listen
no more pushing, yield
just wait, wait for the warmth
to settle, the light
to swarm back, forgotten and
dormant, as late summer bees.