walking along
the old canal
now barge free
and barrow bound
my beard
bristles cold
in the morning chill

why am I here
when a lover's bed
warm and worn
awaits my restless heart

just overhead
so just I nearly stoop
a heron takes off
like a lazy plane
heavy bound
for warmer climes

my nose tingles

a hare lollops past
across the icy field
silvered brown
as the soil
beneath its feet

why did I not bother
to ruttle and rattle
my creaky drawers
for tired leather
gloves that kept me
warm midst many
a ramble
sadder than this

out on the horizon
level east
the sun
or is it the moon
rises slowly
sadly behind
a quilt of down

a sneeze
wakes me up

it wasn't me

down in the
bog dry ditch
beneath
beside my feet
a furry ball
of a man
in holey overcoat
turns over to
restless sleep again

now I know why
I'm still alive

I turn
as in a lover's bed
frost wake
sheet crumbled
but passion warm
pillowed
by a velvet breast
that never knew I'd gone
only to return
a wiser man