February On Wildmoor Heath

FEBRUARY ON WILDMOOR HEATH Across the Heath the chill'ed land is sleeping The cyclic pattern of seasonal life bespeaking Bushes hunched, bare trees holding themselves still Not restrained by death but life's farseeing will The grasses, sedge and reeds withered dried and flaxen Restrained soft shades of colours' rarefaction Only holly and pine maintain pigmentation verdant Not yet time to select a spectrum more divergent With wisdom each life employs a cautious strategy Not now to dare the relentless advance of entropy They bide their time, for the moment they can delay The ineluctable annual vernal affray In a score of days and nights life will be stirring The survival drive restored and action spurring Mother Nature will awaken stretch and yawn But for now deepest sleep is just before the dawn