in the evening's golden surprise
between showers, cloudscapes, snowmelt gurgling
the light was long and
there was a reminder that this walk
is now mine alone.
there was a trickster surprise on the roadside, too
left by a border collie with a sense of humor,
not a print, something more present
than absent.
but,
then the geese surprised me
quieter than in fall, but in huge flocks.
later
i went out to listen, flushed a white tail,
but didn't hear
woodcock, peepers.
yet.