Hoarfrost
By John Herlihy

Hoarfrost settled upon twig and stone,
Morning dew chilled right to the bone,
Covering everything in winter’s path,
Leaving a winter wonderland in its aftermath.
Silence surrounded the scene with no one around,
Before movement stirred and again took up sound.
Cracking and crackling on the fingers of the pine,
Whispering heart-felt secrets I understand to be mine.
Mother Nature always finds her own way,
To announce herself and have her say.
The wind whistles a melody thru the fur trees;
The mockingbird answers as if trying to please.
Soft music listened to with the squirrel and the bear,
Until no more music to hear and no one there.
The world seemed to be covered overall in lace,
A deer appeared from nowhere with a startled face.
Hoarfrost gleamed in the sunlight, her form of smile,
The sunlight will kill her by melting her in a short while.
Well enough that the hoarfrost has its moment of glory,
Hoarfrost lives forever in the archives of earth’s story.