Ralph J. Mills, Jr.


Afternoon's




      afternoon's
grizzled
          & a little bit
blue
         :  cloud outlines
elusive in haze,
             but sun enough
up three floors
or four
        where summer branch
lengths extend,
                once in a while
swiveling
in the moderate brightness,
put to it
          by chilled
inclement winds--








Wind with an



     wind with an
attitude
          passes through
oaks, pendent willows--
                      weed
thread, nipped-
off stems,
               a
    leaf
                :  such residues
drift out on the melt
among roots,
             slide away
riverine,
          guessed-at
bits turning with
soiled water, grit,
                    flood under
in the sprawl &
straggle
of winter grass--









Loose-/crowned


      loose-
crowned
          as if drowsing,
but shapely,
              the honey locust
rides on a wind
swell,
       lets itself go,
given over
to evening,
            which lays
purplish traps in
shadow gathered beneath--










Wind angles



     wind angles
past
        what's touched
opens, rift in the
clouds--

          among starting
leaves
       this crabapple pushes
out front its branch
loads of blossom
                 a dipped
flagrant pink--









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