After

It's hot in the shade
And the breeze brings no relief --
Dry grass and dust

On the sparsely travelled road
That leads to some distant hills

Where moonlight bathed cliffs,
The banks of an ancient sea,
Gaze indifferently

Past the houses by the stream
A fox tiptoes cautiously

On the wooden bridge
He pauses to consider
Just what he should say

It's not just the choice of words,
It's also the spoken tone

She is delighted
And accepts his proposal
With laughter and tears

The first cooling wind arrives
Then lightning with a downpour

Rattling the windows
In the old office building
That is now for rent

Where new stalks of grass emerge
In the empty parking lot

A coyote strolls
Looking for some bigger game,
Perhaps a rabbit

In the shadow by the tree
White against the drifted snow

The old picket fence
(Missing a few of its slats)
Needs some repainting

After cherry blossoms fall
It feels like there's plenty of time