Perfection

O I want to wander through the long grass

Past the pond long dry for want of rain

But still vocal with the sounds of frogs and crickets

Then on deep into the wood, home to squirrels and deer,

Or perhaps the odd rabbit or skunk

And the leaves will crackle beneath my feet

The scent of a fresh-felled tree filling the air

Before a wayward raccoon might call it home

Moss grows on all sides in all directions of the trees

As they curl and twirl, bend and uphold the sky

With stout branches, leafy, majestic

Each one a king with many followers of smaller sizes

Then I come to the backwater of the lake,

The lowland where rushes and game birds hide

And the owls observe it all, waiting, watching

For the moment when it will all come to perfection.

A Drink

Waiting for the rain I wonder

When the skies will open up and give birth

To bring nourishment to the plant life

That reaches, stretches, begs with its leaves

And I think about the drum beats of the Natives

That used to call the sky spirits to weep

Giving the life force to parched earth

So I watch the passing of the gray clouds

And wish, will, work to bring on the rain

Wondering if, perhaps, I danced for them

If they would release a torrent of droplets

To give my geraniums and grasses a drink.

Hope

Creatures of passion who cry out

For the preservation of good and right

Their arms raised high, fists thrusting

And yet, they wish nothing

That the Creator has not fashioned for them

For each being on the planet,

Everything that breathes or takes up space

Is part of that same Creator

Meant to be listening, speaking,

Urging everything, everyone forward

Along the evolutionary trail

That marks our steps, our breaths,

And sees us through this aeon

To the next by our strength of hope.

The Heat of Mid-July

The heat makes wrinkles in the air

Above the pavement in the city

So the bold ones flock around the fountain

To catch a splash as the water cascades down

The clouds have long ago escaped the sky

Though the air has a weight to it

That makes breathing hard for those who walk

To work, to shop, or just for the exercise.

Some of the older folk sit on their front steps

Fanning themselves and watching everything

That goes on along their street

Never saying a word, such would be too much work

In the heat of mid-July.

Lake Michigan

Tiny diamonds crest the ripples

Of the broad expanse of blue, blue deep

The sun wraps its essence around the vista

Of water and shoreline and crystalline beach

Children wade and touch their fingertips

To the crisp coolness of the grand pool

Mothers and fathers watch from their blankets

Ensuring the safety of little ones’ curiosities

The air moves gently toward the beach

Making barely a spill of the serene image

Soon it will be turned to a red bowl

As the sun sets beyond the lighthouses

And the beach will be dotted with tiny fires

The memory of cookouts swimming in my mind

Such bountiful beauty an honor to behold

The Great Lake Michigan: nature’s gift, our treat.

Fancy

Summer heat takes its toll

On the finest greenery

Trying to make its way

Showing off the tendrils and leaves

That nature gave specifically to its kind

So that no other would be mistaken

It cannot wear a mask

That we might question its type

Sheer honesty given by Gaia

To pique our tastes and fancy.

Harmony

Lightness of clear air after the rain

Which cleanses all and nourishes

The life force of the flower and the stalk

Each one a blessing with its pure scent

How now to give its beauty to the beholder

And leave its perfect bud of youth in memory

So that each person passing by the garden

Shall, even in the snowy winter

Be reminded of the harmony of all the colors

As they played on a summer’s day.

Guardian Angel

Surprising partner who slips beside me

Whilst my most horrible thoughts ensue

Giving me light enough to throw off the shroud

That burdens me like no other knife to the heart

And through a maze of lightning and hurricanes

That capitalize on the moment’s weakness of my mind

I feel the warmth of caring wings wrapped around me

Like a protective shield to keep the evil at bay

And suddenly, the weights pulling down on me

Have less effect to disturb my peace of mind

The grace and pow’r of love repeats itself

Through the precarious air around me

And before the ink upon this page is dried

I am uplifted, transformed and in balance.