Under the Sun

Warm today
Has spring
finally sprung?

Under the sun
the dogwood –
red-stemmed
gives birth
to its blossom...
each flower
a tiny cross

Under the sun
the daffodils,
at last,
have sounded
their golden trumpets

and under the sun
the great, grey heron
has flown
defined its territory
across these brown
frowning hills

Under the sun
a patch of catnip
lures a marmalade tom

Under the sun
a farmer tills the field
whistles a shade
of ripening corn

Under the sun
a fox
with a gorgeous
tawny mask –
yawns, goes
back to sleep

and soil,
under
the freeway
under
the sun
dreams of green
and of grass
long gone