Wednesday morning

City trucks out early

gathering piles of leaves

trees discarded

After hiding from rain for two days

tree dancers scurry and swirl

in search of calories

Mallards have left the pond

their honeymoon over

Flowering bush in the park

refuses to give up on beauty

A day or two in the sun

and dry clatter will return

to wet leaves

I count my morning meditation

on knuckles five times

before I go inside for tea

12-7-22