Birch Wintering

I strip me bare wear wind
around my scaly skin leaf-lost
bark crack flake back amidst
my kind parade grove-proud
we crowd all I

I sleep so long dream-throng
in dark days and my long night
bone-truth gone around again
lie low as sky can only think
not die shall I

I peer through haar and hail
plot passage as clock hands
times turn in cold gold dawn
and silent gloam life homes
so survive I

I wait it out the long fetch
and reach of light await as
days stretch until warm come
until bud plump and bloom
for shall thrive I

Robin Leiper