without warmth

gossip over the back fence

was often merely meant to keep fellow

villagers informed so they, too,

might pray for neighbor’s health and joy

gossip on blunt email lacks

the softening effect of person to person

misses touch’s feeling we are all human

and comes across as callous bullying

anticipating autumn

anticipating autumn

haiku

pines bend to the wind

gossip mountain laurel will

soon bare soul—and branch

            mjNordgren  7/20/22  Welches