Winter Daybreak

Sol begins his breach of the morning

snow-laden clouds that are

huffing out huge hoary flakes

The orb glimmers and glows

pulsating in its climb, barely visible

behind the dense frozen blossoms

Rays burn gold, firing the sky

as the sun begins to crack open the day

White blinding landscape, deeply frosted,

sparkles in sun glints

No prints blemish the brilliant blanket

Falling wet fluff muffles all sound

Nothing stirs

Snow-draped gigantic firs stretch

to the silver-gray sky

Tall sentries,

their green tips cradling frozen crystals, and

evergreen arms laden in ice shards

sway to the rhythm of wintry gusts

Suddenly, the moon sets

and the forest sighs as a sharp

mountain gust blows through

The Steller’s jay chatters, eyeing an awakened

snowshoe hare kicking out of the snow,

while a chickadee sounds its

dee-dee-dee-dee alarm at the intruder

She buckles her snowshoes and silently breaks trail