Bound

The tangled

roots

of all our griefs

are bound

so tightly

We strain

to draw

energy

to grow

Can we lift

each other up

and find

room

for all

to breathe?

Colorado Springs 11/19/22

Pulse

Be Still

 

Bulbs are sleeping

with frogs

and bees

tucked deep

in the layered leaves

that gather

in the corners

and under

the pines

still green

I would

curl up with them

and rest

my aching heart

until spring

Winter's Color

No contradiction

look

for the flame

of sumac

the wine red

of crabapple

orange berries

in clusters

on bare branches

one maple leaf

a spot of warmth

in the white palm

of winter snow

 

Eras

How many miles

has this water

traveled

from dew

to cloud

to river

to here

How many years

has this light

traveled

past planets 

unknown

and known

to reflect

and perhaps

travel back

or on

This water

this light

these trees

eras

of existence

of knowing

Still

 

The air

is still

fog lingers

and I linger

too

for a moment

even the crickets

are quiet

as I step

onto dewy

grass

then

their chirping

resumes

a car 

zooms by

birds call

and I

must join

the morning

Strength

 

Waiting

for wings

to open

and reveal

bold orange

and velvet

markings

I recall

watching 

another

emerge

crumpled

and wet

on a milkweed branch

in a jar

So delicate

impossible

to imagine

the miles of journey

ahead

Breathe

 

Morning

instructs

B

   r

     e

       a

         t

            h

               e

             d

        e

     e

 p

into where

the hurt is

and

heal

36

September

 

Long grass

luxurious pillow

where I wait

for a pause

between cars

to hear

the papery rustle

of a cottonwood

the electric buzz

of cicadas

secrets

whispered

in the wind

35

Reset

 

Of late

I have

felt

Melvillian

contemplating

knocking

off

neighbors' hats

or

preferring not to

Time to seek

blue water

that stretches

to the horizon

or a dark line

of pines

or even

a simple

roadside meadow

of golden

wildflowers

Acknowledgements to Herman Melville

Line 8

Line 10

34

Sweet

 

Cicadas

are singing

to fading

flowers

Summer's

sweet

end

33

Eagle

High

in the blue

a bald eagle

glides

Still rare

to my eyes

the white head

between dark

silhouette

of wings

Yet

not as rare

as once

This triumph

this proof

we can change course

we can snatch

beauty

from the talons

of our own

destructivness

32

What?
 

Entangled

 

When decay

entwines

green

so entangled

new growth

is uncertain

inseparable

instead

of cutting away

wait

see

what survives

31

Meditation

 

May time

and truth

wear away

what

defines

and defends

May what

is weathered

away

reveal

color

bright

new

30

Revive

 

When

did I lay down

my passion

and take up

this burden

of regret

and anger

Why did I barter

joy

for worry

and risk

for fear-tainted

security

Can I relearn

reimagine

revive

Can I

I can

29

Away

 

My imagination

climbs

a staircase

in the clouds

up to a magical

blue room

filled

with windsong

28

Synchronize

 

To surrender

to Nature's

cycle

to rest

when she rests

and awaken

when creation awakens

to nestle in

through a long winter's night

or

to gather

with the geese

join masses

of monarchs

on their journey 

to secret forests

of moving color

27

August Between

 

Though

the trees

are green

and the heat

will return

inviting

a lazy afternoon

contemplating clouds

autumn

is nibbling away

at the edges of 

morning

26

Idle

Rest

not idle-ness?

But

what qualifies

as rest 

with purpose?

Is there a 

test?

A checklist?

A time line

or limit?

Isn't rest

by definition

purpose-less?

To idle away

an afternoon

Space

Grace

Source: John Lubbock

25

 

Nest

 

Tossed here

perhaps

by recent storms

so tightly woven

even violent winds

have barely disturbed

its wild patterns

How many hours

How many flights

How many eggs

hopefully guarded

now abandoned

empty

24

Accumulation

 

Raindrops

to rivulets

to rivers

to rushing water

Snow

sediment

chlorophyll

color

fallen leaves

pushed by wind

worries too

and joy

and another dawn

another

season

23

Revealed

 

Hidden

island

of color

in a sea

of hard

urban

gray

22

Miracles

 

Some moments

are always a miracle

no matter how many times

the sun reaches fingers

through the clouds

or a crocus pushes

through the snow

or I see a rainbow

my heart still leaps

21

In the clouds

 

Baby fists tucked

under chubby cheeks

sleepy cherubs

drowsing

in the

afternoon sun

20

Reflection

Nature's 

symmetry

is subtle

surprising

inviting us

to notice

and contemplate

The mercurial

borders

of dawn clouds

the mirrored shape

in water

19

 

So Too

The daily

the ordinary

so

too

miraculous

The pelicans

more majestic

than any ship

sailing serene

a silver trail

marking

their passage

amid golden 

curls

of mist

rising from water

Along

the trail

prairie coneflowers

bloom

like fireworks

frozen in flight

My heart feels

too small

to hold this beauty

and overflows

like the river

rushing

with new rains

18

Heart's garden

 

In my heart's garden

memories bloom

from love's seeds

17

Off center

 

Nature

seeks

balance

Sun

and rain

Growth

and rest

Birth

and decay

Progress

kicks

at Nature's

heels

pushes

the Cosmos

off center

spinning

flailing

grasping

at air

16

Growth

 

Tender

tentative

tendrils

finding sun

unfurling

15

Every day

 

Every day

this unspeakable

indescribable 

quotidian beauty

Every day

colors

shapes

light and darkness

Every day

a reason

to open my eyes

a reason

to be

joyful

14

Fading

 

The flowers

on the deck

are fading

their sprawling stems

leggy and languid

beneath a pale blue sky

The maple

on the corner

has one yellow leaf

nearly hidden

amid others still-green

The air

feels still

uncertain

waiting

13

Friendly invitation

 

Walk with me

invites Lady Sun

Through

the damp grass

to the hidden path

between the trees

along

a newly flowing creek

where cattails bow

and one

red-winged blackbird

sings

12

Learn

 

Teach me

Nature

how to balance

to survive

the dry spells

even

to grow

grow tall

yet bend

to age

gracefully

to be beaufiful

even

as winter

comes

11

Two sides

Rain

on a long anticipated day

of celebration

Rain

long anticipated

after days

of drought

10

 

Refresh

Today

Nature 

has

other plans

Not admonishing

my busy-ness

and frustration

but gently

inviting

refreshment

with a musical

composition

of thunder

and rain

9

 

Fountain friend

Good morning

froggy friend

hanging out

in the cool shadows

of the fountain

where the lilies

nod

and the sun

plays

in the ripples

8