Omnipresent Wind

Wind has exerted a powerful presence,
these late days, asserting its unchallenged
sovereignty over our shared environment.
Reminding weary old decaying snags in the
forest their time has come, toppling them,
shattering trunk and brittle limbs. Last
night, between repeating thunderstorm
episodes, a young raccoon explored the
specials du jour in backyard composters.
Lightning crackled and bent the atmosphere
but he, confident in his mission, endured.

More of the same next morning, interspersed
with brilliant sunshine . Nature's game of
on-again, off-again, electrifying the day.
The ravine's creek ran deep and detritus-full,
A darkly sleek muskrat, in its element, swam
swiftly along its swollen generosity, dove and
re-surfaced, an aquatic acrobat. During sun-
peeking moments cardinals trilled. When rain
returned, all was stilled. But a brown creeper
explored contrarily the bark of an old pine.

Overhanging willows loosing leaves too early,
and tart, small apples dropping from overburdened
wild fruit trees decorate the ground below. Pine
needles, blanketing the rich woodland soil glow
orange. Overnight have sprung yellow, blue,
orange, white and purple fungi, flaunting their
brilliant presence, daring the curious to guess:
edible perhaps, or mortality's gruesome end?

The sky shifts endlessly, from darkly bruised
and ferociously lowering, to a whipped-cream
canvass, relenting to a blue bowl, culminating
to brief outbreaks of light, then darkness
prevails and thunderheads loose once more
torrents and gales of rainfall. The everpresent
wind, omnipotently driving all before it, has
orchestrated this theatrically staged drama,