Juleigh Howard Hobson: “Last Stand”
LAST STAND
Last year’s leaves have mingled with last month’s snow,
Melting now, but not quite gone. Hard edged and
Jagged, it sits unyielding in shadow
Under trees. It won’t last much past this stand
It’s taken against early spring. Rains will
Do it in. Rains and inevitable
Warmth that are the end of winter. But still,
Despite the growing inhospitable
Weather, the snow remains. And with it some
Last lingering glory that its frozen light
Lends the leaves. Pretty soon it will become
A dark raggedy mess, melting past leaves tight
Along the roots. But now, now it remains,
Defying the approach of spring and rains.
Juleigh Howard Hobson has had her poetry appear in many journals, including Alabama Literary Review, The Lyric, Able Muse, Raintown Review, Sugar Mule, Mezzo Cammin, New Verse News, Soundzine, Poemeleon, Autumn Sky Poetry, and Umbrella. She has served as assistant poetry editor at Able Muse. Her fourth and most recent formal poetry collection is Remind Me (Ancient Cypress Press).