Seasons of a gang of elk...

Today we are writing  a Choka over at dversepoets.com ...it has a long Japanese history and is made up of un-rhymed lines or  5 and 7 syllables and can be any length.  Nature's four seasons are represented in the one I wrote below.

Sunshine's cutting bent 

on snow, sounds of surefooted

elk moving closer,

finding where the group gathers,

striking a still pose 

Winter bells ring in the spring;

when hearts break in spite 
of flowers' desire to grow,

 supported at both 
ends by millions of stars on 
strings of gold. When it

must rain we need umbrellas
so as not to miss 
hearing the band when malaise

sets in for summer

Only God knows what colors, 
hues, shades and shadows to use

Steal away time to

look for the hidden rainbows,

hear the crunch of fall

Autumn ..

Sharing with dVersepoets.com    Saturday's challenge to write about the current season:

Autumn of Life

Jigsaw puzzle, some chairs, table, lamp by the window -
Outside, nature's changes..how many shades of pink, orange in God's palette?
Saffron skies, rows of rippled clouds shaped like puffed white rice
  Ever changing canvas, deepening shades of azure blue meeting mango orange layers at the horizon, plum gold rays shoot from the sun.

Leaves fall...mini masterpieces, tiny sunsets painted on them  
float as tiny canoes in the stream..
September, when covenants of love are sealed, landscapes of the heart
  defined by woody meadows, rushing water, turning trees and 
unknown possibilities..

Recall years of walking into each new month with hope -
Fall, when the moon with the friendly face was as big as the entire sky 
A bright yellow sun illuminated cooler evenings, lanterns for paths that lead between 
home and everyplace else...
Paper thin leaves show tired veins, no more blankets of grass with tiny white daisies 
Forgotten years..forgotten laughs and tears.  
Sharpe edges of the heart smoothed over time, arms wrapped in another's..
long walks across the footbridge pushed my heart over the edge.  
Each day begins an extended portal of time, indefinitely suspended as day 
breaks and later retires.

Inside, roaring firelight, blankets, pillows piled high in a corner -
 Winds knock, windows welcome the storm, murmurs of choir voices singing Mozart,
Rain bombards the shutters, horizontal neon comets streak, leave a trail of phosphorescence. 
 Chimney smoke circles, ascends, aroma of logs burning.
Recall fair share of past paths walked, long shadows lead into night..
 white hot embers still burn..
Roasted chestnuts, contented smiles, glasses of Pinot Noir
 Good books, intimate conversations, boots, mittens and berry picking 
Kids, holidays, wool sweaters, socks  
for kite flying weather.

To be a child again, jumping into a high pile of raked leaves -
 sloshing in wide deep puddles, school.
Rosy cheeks, frosty air, playing until dark, not a care in the world..

Nostalgia sweeps over at the call of the loons.
Time envelopes us...we want carte blanche, to turn back the clock
 spin cartwheels again, go to the sock hop
But continuous change is all we know...
therefore spring is not far removed
 Unfold your heart, become one with the seasons, store more memories..
Reside in nature's bosom

..