Cycle

by Kris Patel

Dark clouds before the rain

A chill creeps through the air

After the first drops fall,

A fresh scent follows

Several days of dim light

Leave the soul dismayed

People shelter in doorways

Trapped, clutching clothes

Eventually, the clouds part,

And the Sun shines through

Drying up the morning dew:

Welcoming a warm Spring

Birds tweet in the trees

Squirrels skitter about

And the hills flourish:

Obscene, verdantly green

When Summer arrives

Eyes dry—Winter’s dead

Lovers sit in beams of light

Not a single care in sight

Splinters from fallen trees

Feed the fungi beneath—

The cycle continues

All life is on the menu