260626
GRAPE LEAVES

Funny, that
propagated by chance: the vine
watch it grow: grapes now and then -
but it's gloaming
seize the moment
plucked and earmarked for wine

skinned, exposed 
and given to crush
potential from the grape
plus time and pressure applied

gradually to reach the point..

---

inside the vats, an island
at night, on pebbled shores
offset from beating mills
and forest fires beyond the skyline
under moon and a now-and-then spotlight

glints above
flashes of bright
nothing steady
but steady incoming to disrupt the night

irregular pulse
warm and cool
building -
    suddenly as bright as day
    but brief
    as a deep pull of breath
    a silent gasp
    of presence

    has passed

and given over back to dark

handed over to the second breath
intermittent impacts
hot and scattered
of heavy-loaded sea-fall
building to a deluge
beating down
the still and steady surface to a churn

like rain from shaken trees
(before the forest was set to burn)

and then, from the third breath on
diminishing impacts
a receding crescendo
every moment
sinking in to slowly settle one by one
until all signs of downpour 

have gone

it was a long shot -
and once it had passed
it was in the past

and nobody saw
from the beating mills
or burning forests
on offset shores

---

the vats are opened,
and everything's clarified

glints and glimmers fading
beneath the sea

circle the drain

Everything that's left 
is vine, and leaves.

anyway

hope yr grand

 JC