White Roses

A Renga: Midmorning sunlight White roses climbing the fence Next to the driveway On a Saturday in May A rooster pecks at the ground "It's in the details," The lawyer looks at the case, Sifting evidence Of geological time Displayed on the canyon walls Snow on the ledges Shadows rapidly lengthen As days quickly pass Her daughter is a stranger With friends and views of her own Light from the stained glass window And candles of remembrance Mingling with the sharp incense And the sound of falling leaves Rolling down the street On his well-dented skateboard Jumpng the high curb Busy shoppers holding bags Purchases from here and there Moonlight can't compete With the glow of the city Or the internet This is their first face to face They first met in cyberspace What will people read From the books published today Centuries from now? "It really doesn't matter. I know you didn't mean it." The afternoon heat Makes it hard to concentrate, To apologize At the fountain by the store In the city's public square There's a rainbow in the air Between clouds of gray and white