Before the Winter

Great ancient oaks stand high upon a hill

and limn down the horizon, distantly

within the season's cold and windy chill-

bare branch designs as far as I can see.

Through early morning mist, the rising sun

makes golden all the hill and tree filled sky,

announcing new born light this day begun-

a warmth replacing nighttime's lullaby.

Last calls of rustling leaves now echoes long

through valleys deep and on from knoll to field

as Autumn's end will welcome here in song

the coming season, soon to be revealed -

when sprinklings and then waterfalls of snow

shall blanket all the countryside aglow...

                                a Shakespearean sonnet

                                                by Lucia Haase

                                                November 30, 2013