End

as it is

the tension

in stressed blackwood

skinned wing

of a sparrow

the clean knife

of a december wind

all this

all this the end

steps on gravel

the night`s last

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

This spare offering makes a somber point about mortality: It happens. In the midst of life, we are indeed in death, not only a small bird, but every living thing. If we could understand that, and also understand it's just another part of nature, maybe we wouldn't fear it so much.

[Emily B]

Oh. Oh. I have missed words like this. Even when December is coldest

[jacob erin-cilberto]

"the clean knife/ of a december wind"
love that image.....
the night's last stones...the night's last hurrah...and the last night of the subject of the poem.
The spirit flying away with the sparrow.
j.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

How wonderful to see you posting again Leslie. It seems such a long time. I am taking a break from WC for a while but was thrilled to check in and see your latest poem.

As always you capture an emotion, a moment, an elegant frieze carved in words. Few words full of meaning. In this I saw a blackwood handled knife, a thing of beauty but sharp and possibly deadly to such as fragile bird. Perhaps a dead bird found upon the winter path or a metaphor for the stripping away of yet another year as the sharp pang of sadness cuts.