Apricity

The mountains emptied us;

for the homeless it would be winter,

the middle class their smart phones forced down.

Alongside,

the river forged its way resilient against the still epitaph of the glacier.

This apprentice saw the yellow fields of *Pelennor as the Witch Kings fell toward

the grey turquoise of **Maui's tomb -

teeth biting the sky,

below gawping mouths on two legs.

Inside the granite Keep zero rested in our minds.

The journey back;

sunset rouged the cliff cheeks in gentle strokes.

We watched a different light

a sense of long departed;

flightless rustling,

eruptions over dimpled lakes of fire,

the sliding canoe arrive,

a sulfuric clash of past and future.

Iterations of cold warmed, melting us back to the day.

The mountains emptied us;

only the sun could change their face

*LOTR reference

**Maui - Maori legend of making of Piopiotahi (Milford Sound)

Clare L Rolfe 15.8.2026

Clare L. Rolfe