In the smile time of the afternoon,
strands of spider silk gleam with sunshine,
they hang from fences, they catch the wind
and float off – I don’t know
if they have a purpose now,
except to be delightful

Deer stayed for about an hour
on the shadowed north side of the house
after the frost was gone,
on ground that never warmed –
they browsed, then sat, and moved on later –
I don’t know why they chose that spot

In the smile time of the afternoon,
the air relaxed, and let itself get warm
even out beyond the porch’s shelter,
and no one could resist
the quiet calm
the infinite provided
for that fleeting time.

©Wendy Mulhern
November 16, 2022