The Mask Of The Secret Valley (The mask lifted)

Mask-looped valley
The stepped river
Silent eyed slate omnivores
watch the couples lifting masks
echo in blued sky.

Through mudded paw prints
Moss grained fynnon*
The saturated eye.

Clasped glances
Over side saddled leaves
Sulked trees
Through spiny gazes.

Sun grown fingers
to tender lips
A kiss snow dropped
for the future.

The mask of the secret valley
peeled to a tender
bliss of shared heartbeats.

*fynnon is the Welsh word for a spring.

Heather Nixon and John Welson