Markings 120

Lemon Tree

See how winter conspires

with the lemon tree for brightness

a slight concession of the season

against dark settings

so many small cold suns

crowd upon a green galaxy of leaves

beyond that hangs

the black heavy menace of a storm

later it will distil in drops

to glaze the yellow rind to gold

the snail slides from lush to verdant

on the permission of July

a silver promise that turns on the tree

a secret store of summer lights.

Jeff Guess

©Jeff Guess 2018