early to rise

it's raining.
but it's warm,
and there is no
snow on the ground.
you can see straight
through the woods
because there are
no leaves, the
branches are bare
and grey. the stream
appearss to be
silk as it moves
with hardly a
ripple. no one
is up yet, except
for those sleepless
ones who are up
at five, or six,
and walk their dogs.
they've got a head
start on worry.
you watch them
meander through
the woods, stepping
through puddles,
thinking. thinking.
speaking mindlessly
to their dogs, as
the leash gets tugged
this way and that.