Winter willow
Solstice, skimming
like water fowl
on wet limp grass.
The bus stops.
Doors buzz closed.
Cerebral chatter
despite the brain chill.
Flakes of true temperate talk.
Glimmering through the window,
the winter solstice willow.
Bus announces Farnborough Park.
Old boy’s apology, he squeezes past.
A parent with child speaks of accident,
where child chucks hot chocolate all over her.
Festive cheer all the way here, fun,frolics.
Winter solstice, willow weeping.
Wide awake on the shortest day.
This poem was first published in The Winter Solstice Anthology edited by Marie Lightman and Richard Skinner.
Geraldine Ward is an author of children’s fiction and poetry, adult short fiction, poetry and a novella. She has had poetry published in I am not a silent poet edited by Reuben Woolley and Writers Cafe Magazine edited by Marie Lightman.
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