As I Awake...

As I awake
the room begins to ache
the chair takes on a stiffness
afraid the air will break
rain rusts the door jams
the floor retreats below
everything is heavy
everything is slow

The phone complains of worry
mail builds up in bins
the mice all say they're sorry
but they really must move in
nothing really broken
nothing really right

And I'm looking for the flower
I mis-placed some time ago
searching through the hours
for petals in the snow
pieces of the peace
I want to know.

Aged fathers in their clouds
aged mothers in their woods
talking books and tree spirits
echo wide in lake glass
whisper willow secrets
as I pass.