unminted gold dawn

pale sunrise of washed-out orange

and unminted gold

but navy-blue horizontal clouds

and distant hills and far distant

mountain silhouettes

patterned by branches in black

of near-by pine

dawn steals the velvet

dawn steals the velvet of night

so slowly claiming sun’s paling

of the sky to silhouette tall pines

and etch distant hills onto the horizon

night’s lingering indigo

night’s lingering indigo

 low clouds muted

by night’s lingering indigo

smother the valley below me

creating a backdrop

for the stark juxtaposition

of white frost on field and roof

against the ebony-green of stands

of pine and fir

vehement

 tall, tall pines

side by side

their tops gesticulating

bending, twisting

arguing with the wind

unwarranted conclusion

unwarranted conclusion

full moon and frost on pine limbs

stubbled lawn glints blue-white

convincing me just after midnight

of the season’s unpredicted first snow