the darkest time of year

the birds flee swift 

their sights on sun

the trees shiver bare

their leaves all gone 

to dens beasts shuffle 

and sleep til spring 

my blood runs cold 

at what long nights bring 

I raise my arms

and stretch a strand

small fragile bulbs

from out my hand 

such weak defence 

against a foe

who gobbles day

and makes light go

those twinkling sparks 

remind my heart 

that though it seems 

like all is dark 

time will fly on

and in the end 

the dawn returns 

to rise again 

random

a car drove by

unlike another

its red design

clearly bespoke

a mousy nod

with 95

i marvelled at

its quirky lines

amused and glad

something so odd

a fleeting laugh

on rubber wheels

some 4-year-old

somewhat adulting

then hours later

the fabric tears

the world spins round

i'm upside down

a random man

gives me a sign

a glossy poster

common design

of that same car

unique offscreen

and rarely seen

i wonder dazed

at such a thing

coincidence

it seems