are like huge slivers of wood
as perpendicular strokes
coated in white and
winter splashes another coat
on its natural primer, an
afterthought.
Shadows imitate bark
silhouettes, a covering
starkness masked in beauty.
Each penetrating finger
of tree is a brother
to other forest splinters
sky and clouds the ultimate
destination.
© Richard L. Provencher
Published April 2010
Paragon 111, Dept. of English
Memorial University, St. John’s NL
ISBN: 978-0-88901-422-0
