tiny topaz

chilly wind and rain
yellow grass and barren trees
greenhouse tulip red

orphans and widows
society does not see
their wind broken lives

ancient terracing
on the mountainside, every
inch of land precious

the Ancient of Days
breathed into the dark vastness
and hung a night light

glorious winter
frosted branch and leaf, icing
on fresh-baked cupcakes

tropical breezes
blow summer perfume through the
January air

winter candle glow
lengthens the season’s short hours
long nights and brief days

winter morning sky
pregnant with the day’s treasures
unpacked hour by hour

new year’s tradition
savory-cooked black-eyed peas
Texans know what’s good

Christmas ghost hovers
at the gate of a fresh year
new roads marked open