Maples leafing out in their wild chartreuses
flash like neon over the river's margin,
garish next to paler or deeper greens of
willow and jackpine.

Farther up, the fields are prepared for seeding,
harrowed now, and distantly velvet-looking,
red-brown shading darkening into blackness
over the hillcrest.

All against a blue that will not sit stable,
shifting with the wind-altered cloud and sun shifts,
dappling down to slate when the west goes coral,
lavender, violet.

So much color: needless and utter blessing,
granting visions whether or not we sought them.
Once again I start with an empty canvas,
think of beginnings.

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Maryann Corbett lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota and works for the Minnesota Legislature as an in-house writing teacher, editor, and indexer. Her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in The William and Mary Review and Strong Verse.
 

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