Winter Treads Gently

winter treads gently
as autumn moon
rising in the east
its arc, clearly drawn
its white, impossibly bright

the angle and suddenness
of late afternoon light
a pale lemon reminder
that days are shorter
evenings will demand tea
and nights will call for quilts

the ocean of breeze
no longer baked by the sun
its hot monsoon urgency spent
now carrying cool silk on its edge

birds speak differently
in deference to season change
their windpipes softened
by sleeping early, rising late

even silences are different
clearer, more gathered
the heat no longer bleeding
sounds and stillness into each other

the day-sky just as kind
as that of the night

22nd september 2010

shahbano aliani