Swirling Leaves

a kasen renku by Michael Dylan Welch and Francine Porad

faded war paint—

red leaves swirl about

the wooden indian Michael

            noncommittal face

            of the poetry juror Francine

blue notes

from old fingers . . .

the battered upright sways Michael

            change of tempo

            robins chirping Francine

quarter moon—

a bent bicycle wheel

left in the trash Michael

            hardly recognizable

            cleaned-out garage Francine

            ~   ~   ~

stretched bars

and blank canvas . . . waiting

for inspiration Francine

            reflected in the stream

            —forked lightning Michael

children zigzag

through the park, slide to swings

to purple dragon Francine

            along the garden trellis

            the cat’s path Michael

rendezvous

in the afternoon

    our laughter Francine

            starlight through the window-blind

            . . . touching her breast scar Michael

violet shadows

in the mountain’s outline

in sharp relief Francine

            vapour trail

            splitting the moon Michael

predicted flurries

the anticipation

of New Year’s Eve Francine

            the morning after—

            confetti in the snow Michael

below the feeder

a squirrel searches

for sunflower seeds Francine

            a trail of ants

            to the syrup bottle Michael

            ~   ~   ~

breakfast on the patio

    in spring sun—

smell of burnt toast Michael

            “I just want to start

            a flame in your heart” Francine

crashing surf—

the imprint of your body

deep in warm sand Michael

            covered with grit

            stranded seals Francine

pelting rain—

a candy bar wrapper

on a bus seat Michael

            small town main street

            a flag at each store front Francine

out of step

with the marching band

the baton twirler Michael

            ten loops as it climbs

            Blue Angel among the clouds Francine

sultry night—

the barman wipes away

wet circles Michael

            summer rain

            patterns in the pond Francine

roar of the midway—

the toddler’s balloon

rises in moonlight Michael

            large spiders

            gigantic webs Francine

            ~   ~   ~

new mother

sings to the infant,

“Big girls don’t cry!” Francine

            sealing my sister’s birthday card

            . . . first chill of autumn Michael

after the storm

on an incoming tide

shriveled jellyfish Francine

            amid beach stones

            a piece of polished glass Michael

icy yard

cluttered with falling leaves

roses standing tall Francine

            ringing the doorbell

            the florist Michael