Stripped

In the plum orchard

not a single leaf remains

after last night’s wind.

Windfalls

last days of autumn—

windfalls from a week of storms

litter the orchard

Overgrown orchard—

among the tangled branches

a small blackbird hides.

cherry orchard way—

so thick the haze of blossoms

the blind man stumbles

neglected orchard

on the night of the new moon

the last plum tree dies

ripe with fog

plum orchard silent

this morning

bushels of plums—

the joy of abundance

from her orchard