Their Skeletons Discarded

Round the giant spruce trees,
at the back of the yard
amber casings
shining in the morning sun
their skeletons discarded

Their soundings, piercing
up high in the canopy
the cicadas’ voices
sing a song of summer
the heat prodding them on

Already frozen, statuesque
the empty shells still clinging
blending in with the color
of the amber pitch
almost hiding

Above the splash of the mud,
the dust of the needle litter
the pupae bursted, the shells pointing
to their home high in the trees


February 12, 2010
probably about 1972
57 Squawfield Road,
Westfield, MA


Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Contact me at Ray Foss
for usage.