First day of the month—

on a patch of dirty snow

a blue face mask lies.

A white-faced possum

stares up from my compost pile,

where he’s bedding down.

a glimpse of your face

in a fading photograph—

first frost of autumn

Peony

Like a peony

my granddaughter’s face lights up

in the morning sun.

Ruckus

Crow on the fencepost,

why do you raise a ruckus

when you see my face?

taking off my glove

to trace the little fissures

time makes in your face

lifting up my face

to let the falling water

fill my mouth with song

summer sun—

blind beggar woman

lifts her face

a Kansas farmer—

on his weather-beaten face

furrows fill with tears

from the mirror God

peering back at Abraham

a familiar face