Frost Warning – February 23, 2020

late winter
air temps. 50 degrees F / 10 degrees C
i went out to fill the bird feeders
and to rake the leaves away from around the house

feeders filled
i decided to leave the leaves alone
the compost pile caught my attention
the fork easily sank into the winter set soil
black compost
enhanced the promise of spring
as I looked deep into the woods
i could see the familiar spots where daffodils will soon emerge
and i know that I still have many poems to write

today
nearly a month later
the world is uniting by separating
social distance might keep more of us alive
science
filtered through polity—economics—religion
contaminates the air waves with
confusion and blurred realities

with this being said
perhaps the hoarding of toilet paper
is a subconscious reaction to the current state of affairs

once again the compost catches my attention

Paul Cech has been writing poetry since 1970. Several of his poems have been published as Saturday Poems in the Pittsburgh- Post Gazette and the Thomas Merton Center of Pittsburgh has published several of his poems in NewPeople. Read other articles by Paul.