winter solstice has us

winter solstice has us
stopping by the picture window
gazing at the naked aspens
reveling in the bone chill cold

as it has been told---in just
a few days the sunlight shall
be increasing- putting spirits
on a choral high- newly found

swirly sarong- a thin
delicate blanket of snow
stretchy jersey with patterns
like chagall's ice blue windows

o'keefe's beloved red rock
and roll inscribed in the fifties
or the sheer delicacy of renoir's
etched trees of winter

black and blue skies offering
no bruising- just gaze and sigh
is it you, or is it me hiding..
not chiding either party

for the increased intervals
up the scales of one rainbow fish
keeping the wide warm chords

intelligible to all who want to know
the peaceful clarity of a soft snow
~kate lamberg (c)