In the forest without leaves:

forest of wires and twisted steel…

The seasons are of rust
and renewal,
or there are no seasons at all,

only shadows that lengthen
and grow small —
sunlight on the edge of a blade.

Nothing that thrives, but metal
feeding on itself —

cables for roots,
thickets of knotted iron,
and hard knots of rivets
swelling in the rain.

Not the shadows of leaves,
but shadows where the leaves might be.

john haines

EVBVD Music is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of EVBVD Music must be made payable to Fractured Atlas only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.