Winter

Woodgrain, splitting on its edges
Wedged and tearing like waves in a ferry's wake
An axe head making a light show of twilight sun
That dances around stands of birch that lean in and quake
In currents of pine oil, humus and the scattering birds
Nostrils burn in cold gusts, a steam engine exhausting laboriously punctuated by the thud-echo-thud heard
Crack-of-dusk snatching light second by second
As the sun is stowed by valley walls
Thudding stops, exclaiming winter's reckoning
Is fought, fire against ice�" a flame crawls.