Dusk

The snow laden trees look best at dusk
When the headlights bring out the glitter in white
and my eyes fail to see the branches
broken by the weight of wet ivory.
Each snowflake, unique and small,
was too much for the tree to bear.
Sometimes you can hear them cracking
but never at dusk.

13 Ways to Look at a Button

I.
Among the leather of coats
A button
Holds it all together

II.
Alone
The only one who sees me
is a button
the eye of a rag doll.

III.
Napoleon’s Army
Lost to the Russian cold
Their tin buttons disintegrating

IV.
Resting on the dirty ground
A lost button
With a frayed thread

V.
In my pocket
I mistake a button for a coin

VI.
The only thing left to remind her of him
is a button
from his favorite dress shirt.
She cries.

VII.
Late last summer he fell in love
With her sun kissed button nose

VIII.
Answers linger beyond the door.
Locked.
The impermeable code of buttons.

IX.
On or Off
A heavy choice
Made so often by buttons

X.
O, citizens of earth
Loathing and fanaticism
The end of the world
Is just a button press away.

XI.
A small treasure
A child finds a misplaced
Button.

XII.
The wind whispers “shh.”
Somewhere
A button fails.

XIII.
It was early morning
And no one has ever sung
A song for buttons.