Shadows press into the ground,
the black trees lay flat
against the clouds;
jackdaws arc above the rooftops
then push into the wind
toward the highest branches;
a boy whirls around a tree,
emulating their startled flight,
then ambles toward his brothers by the lake.
One by one, the windows light up
as the elders lean toward the street--
their boys grow in the darkness,
appearing larger in silhouette each year
as they round the corner.