New Year Spirit

New Year's Day  

The urgent call of sparrow and tit, met by
wings beating in effortless synchronisation,  
catching and stilling on the barren branch of an apple.  
A crow sings above.
Catkins of hazel catch my eye, drag me from rotting chair to wander.
A gull's frame is captured
in the reflection of gathered water.  
Calmness comes in the life of a new Winter's day,  
log smoke in the air from last night,  
sat with my chosen life partner, righting our wrongs,  
acknowledging our rights, navigating rhythm and routine together. It is
as if we're strangers now, years on from running away, nurturing our offspring.  
The crow lands  
so quiet, so quiet on a telephone wire and I stop,  
dead,  
to admire his face, as I admired a fellow a decade ago.  
A gone decade, roots deep in choices she made - reflections of the person I was  
and who she's become,
the flight response still drowning her veins.  
I walk again,  
sound of heavy foot upon wood, leaves beneath boot.
The coo of a pigeon, the greenness of the echium snapped on a side glance
are precious and noticed by chance.
The pond is stagnant, surrounded by Clematis and Camellia budding, almost popping - a conscious decision.  
I talk often of choices, of wondering, the wanders in woods and lawns where they occur.
Sitting here, in this fresh decade,  
enjoying the spoils of years of careful planning  
and hard, hard graft,  
I know in my bones I'm sound
and all is sound about me.