A chill gripped me this gray winter morn,
felt icy winds born in primordial forests
bringing a deadly-stillness.

Slowly,
slowly,
slowly
I walked up dead planks,
passed my smiling gargoyle,
crunching piles
of crinkled brown leaves
littering my way.

I smiled into the yellow haze of the rising sun,
watched squirrels run circles
on ancient trunks,
enticing the jays
screaming their dismay
above the din of trickling
fountain-waters.

The moment reminded me
of a gurgling mountain brook
& the time your gentle sweet caress
warmed my heart on a similar winter morn.