Mark Forrester

herring gull

on the river ice

one red mitten

—Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

evening rain

my father’s bookmarks

laid to rest

—Mark Forrester

hazy half-moon

geese flying north

geese flying south

—Mark Forrester

river ice

drifting downstream

the junco’s song

—Mark Forrester

smell of moss

close to the river

a heron’s cry

—Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

evening fog . . .

someone’s basketball

skips a beat

Mark Forrester

twilight trail

through snow-capped brambles

a startled deer

Mark Forrester

 

Mark Forrester

fog rolls in the song of a saltmarsh sparrow

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

forgetting to cancel

my father’s seed catalogues—

evening primrose

Mark Forrester

morning fog

in the hotel parking lot

more geese than cars


Mark Forrester

rain turning

into snow

into nothing


Mark Forrester

used car lot

the freezing rain

his best offer

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

highway robbery—

every year

less groundwater


Mark Forrester

waking to late-night sirens beach vacation

Mark Forrester

morning crows

the day moon

in a dead tree


Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

beach wedding—

the flower girl gathers

broken shells


Mark Forrester

midnight rain

remembering

my mother’s voice

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

reading nursery rhymes—

I pause

where my mother paused


Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

evening calm

on the river

a kayaker talks to his dog

Mark Forrester

water rushing

through our mountain cabin

its echo

Mark Forrester

mountain trail—

thin clouds weaving

between black spruce


Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

crocus blossoms

cupping the snow

in her small hands

Mark Forrester

green heron

as still

as the pond


Mark Forrester

mountain trail

at every turn

the moon’s tug

Mark Forrester

river glass . . .

the cool smoothness

of his lies


Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

cracking open

the cool shale

an ancient fern

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

cavern walls—

humming a tune

from another time


Mark Forrester

morning mist

a few swans sleeping

on the pond—

still giving each other

the silent treatment


Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

corner hutch—

my grandmother’s glass

for cutting biscuits

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

mountain stream

a few persimmons

on either side

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

thick brush

the fox’s tail

here and gone

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

one bird’s egg

in another’s nest

false spring

Mark Forrester

*

within my dream

another dream

dragonflies

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

chipped red paint—

my horseshoe resting on

yours

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

beer garden—

the butterfly’s unsteady

path

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

one busker’s nod

to another

moonless night

Mark Forrester

Mark Forrester

just a flicker

and the swallow

is gone

Mark Forrester