torrid afternoon—
the cat’s otiosity
synchronized with mine
Leaf
In perfect silence
a yellow maple leaf melts
into the river.
Sunflowers
In perfect silence
three women bring sunflowers
to adorn the graves.
Threnody
At dusk in the rain,
even the cricket chorus
is a threnody.
Crescendo
seven cicadas
droning in the orange grove
louder, still louder
One More
One more festival
to cleanse me of every sin—
will it work this time?
Mark M. Redfearn 