Winter

Quietly the rain taps down
Gently coaxing
what leaves remain
off the trees

It's winter now
Trees are bare
To let the wind
play freely and at will

No trees to impede
the wild winds
of the west
of the islands

A change is coming
less wind there
more cold here
longer days

Another two months
dare I think it
when nights
equal days again

The lambs come out
to play
in the bitter winds
of March

And when the king
lets us play,
Beltane follows
to signal the end of winter