gnarled knees of bark
moan softly through the voice
of autumn’s breeze
tremored silhouettes hold silence
mimicking rippled frequencies
tugging at the expectation
of a breathless journey
an unassuming span
straddles a personal Rubicon
and his footsteps falter
as he tries to retrieve fortitude
from meandering clouds
reluctant echoes
paint shadows of his progress
on sun-baked bricks
as he seeks endorsement
and sees her
waiting on the bank
of the tears she has shed
© 2017 Alf Collier
Photo by Denise Lindgren