after a hoarfrost

[aslant]

you spend & spend
[waste & waste]
warmth into the empty air
where it cannot linger.

everything drops around you;
trees & sticks
barometers
birds, skies
seasons.

the world falls away
like this
branches from trees
like warm breath from a mouth.

a dun falcon is ushered away
by a cacaphony of ravens
their black fat bellies

their lawn strut &
the boredom of rot.

from trees they harass the sky
sit ponderous
the politic patrician gleam in their eyes
yes
it all
comes to a close
& a death
unwearied sharp beaks still on the whetstone
of the season of terminal chill.

the season slopes & spends grim into winter;
& this heap of fallen things into frost.