February

It is Spring
but you can't know it yet
by looking

tonight Shannon told me
how her joy came back
how she laughed- out of the blue
for eleven minutes,
cried and rolled and rocked

A month ago my sister's
high school friend(now a priest) called
to wish her a happy winter solstice.
He said don't worry-
Jesus is about to come busting into the dark.

the high-water mark
has past. Light is slow creeping
back into the days.

I take my heart out more lately
and let it feel
the wind