A shadow on next door's shed.
A life class in nature's art.
A starling's perfect form, no
human hand could imitate.

One quick dart and she has gone,
leaving my life as others have,
and I must contemplate my losses,
like stars crossing a silent gravestone.

He nodded to me when
I moved my silent lips.

Not our memorial but another's.
Warmth in this cold dark garden of the dead.

How many years ago?
But no apology.
Now this tacit truce.
Nearly as good as a scotch,
when he nodded to me.

She called me from downstairs.
There's some gear, medical stuff
outside, two cases, a midwife's
instruments, why put them here?

Don't touch them, you never know
these days, perhaps they're from next
door. She's a midwife, so I hear.
I'll ask them to identify.

They checked and foud her car unlocked.
But why left for us to find?
A joke? A cruel comment,
mocking us who nest no more.

The dark second floor passageway
celebrates its one blessed feature,
a sash window, tarnished panes,
pixels, lit in colours beyond RGB.

An ordered scene of chevron gables,
an art deco arrangement, apex
clasping serpentine rust red pantiles,
pitched protection for the action below.

Steam escaping kitchen windows,
conveying today's menu,
while shining expectant plates await.

A clustered community,
mutering togetherness,
jealousies beneath the breath.

From glistening streamlet stones
the sparkling sun life river
ripples with ephemeral gems,
priceless, richer than diamonds.

Unavailable to the banker's vault.
Unmeasurable by the carat.
Free to anyone who cares to look.
Frames memories of lovers' smiles.

Knees aching climbing the hill,
gras patches, soft landings
among sandstone islands,
dreaming cold clime exploring.

Shoe gripping rocks
of concreted fossils,
weighing on times remains
- triassic scales.

My multiplexed cells,
morphed versions of those
modelled in the strata.

Not master of all I see.
Not master of me.

Some birds can't keep formation,
stretching every sinew,
exhausted by the effort.
Many are blown off course.

Others defying a common purpose,
seek their own promised land,
shedding feathers, cutting tethers,
revising what we understand.