Afterwinter

NapoWriMo Day 2 2022

birds
pass above us
at twilight
& another in-between
shifts
a season
these migrations
melt us

Earth decides
its nudges
its promises
its takebacks
in snowy returns
& tee-shirts
come out too soon
our arms
weary from re-donning
sweaters that still carry
February’s funk and
firesmoke

reach for
broken branches
on the ground
build
twig teepees
the way they taught
in scouts
light a match
then listen

sandhills pass
above
a far-off trumpet of spring
you always hear them coming
before you see them