I thought about snakes this morning
A convoluted ping-pong thought
Process brought me to black snakes
And then to snakes eating mice and moles
And then to the confident order of it all
Today, the daffodils and forsythia burst yellow as cherry trees bloom pink
And they broadcast “God is here”
Amidst the order and beauty.
God is the trees and flowers.
And in the swirl of man made chaos
The proof is in the greening grass
This photo. This sight.
A staggering
Orange explosion
Bathing grasses in gold,
Carpeting tidal pools
In glistening yellow sparks.
Yet, that sight
Is a fraction.
The seeing just
A tiny suggestion
Of dawn’s extent.
Waking sensations wash over me as
My camera captures the rising
And I am here, inhaling every other bit.
A great horned owl’s low hoots
Harmonize red winged blackbirds’ trill,
Elbowing through the snow goose honks.
Morning’s beautiful cacophony.
The sunrise sound immersion
In the bracing February chill.
Me, breathing in marshy sea scents
And a gulp of thin-air lung-freeze.
This photo. This sight. An invitation.
A symbolic shriek
As thick fog shrouds our landscape
Decency shines through
Puffy Clouds, fall leaves
Today, awash in beauty
Stomach pits remain
A few ambitious branches glow
burnt umber, crimson and a
golden shade seen on parrots
We paddle through choppy water
Most trees lining the shore cling
to late August greens, dull and
forlorn as summer winds to an end
We paddle through choppy water
Our canoe is heavy with camping things
And firewood, for flames and pondering
We paddle through choppy water
A lone loon flies low
Parallel to the water’s surface
A precise, effortless distance
There is no flapping, simply
Levitation with forward motion
Isn’t that magic?
We paddle through choppy water
Now, an island’s fancy greeting
A rocky shore with full moon rising
Laying a glistening water runway
Bathing our canoe in moonlight
A tent, an island, a sweet retreat
Seven AM rowdy bird screams reverb in the oppressive heat
Blasting unknown calls as others sing secret lyrics.
The chaotic symphony infuses my morning with calm.
Serenity amid the clatter.
The definition of contradiction.
Peace
I dry my seat from overnight dew as
A shaky speckled fawn sniffs
around the edges of the patio below.
Her saddle a constellation of white dots.
White tail flicking intermittently some
unseen fly as she moves out of my
Coffee spot gaze.
Welcome
On this other new dawn the weather is cooler. Relief.
The mother stands in the mulch
Just beyond the pool deck munching grass.
Yesterday’s fawn bounds toward her mom.
Baby’s head under belly tilts, grasping teat,
Sucking hard as her baby tail wags at warp speed.
Rhythmically lifting front hoof in time or excitement,
Like any joyful baby thrilling at mama connection.
Nourish
Patient wanderer wrapped wooly thick and warm
The day is coming when the weight will be lifted
Your extra burden will be eased in just a minute
The buzz will terrify but the outcome’s the coolest
That’s cool “amazing” as well as cool “nearly naked”
They’ll whisk the plunder away to weave wonderful
Warmth and style and blankets and sweaters and
Wonder as your full fluffiness is memorialized
Forever
The bridge rumbled loud above our heads
As we scoured rocky Maine tidepools
Seeking starfish amidst the copious golden kelp
Flipping stones, scaling boulders, puddle jumping
Searching for life signs beneath clinging shells
Slip-sliding our way nearer the churning sea
Mist not rain dampened our slickers and
Fogged my glasses, wiping away drops while
Seeking the five pointed cherished prize
A champion photo op of the highest degree
All the time knowing while precariously climbing
The full emersion exploration is our actual joy
A tiny purple beacon
Braving winter cold
In this oddest spring
Delighting from a green
Grass sheltering nest
6:20 Saturday morning.
Warm bed in the late fall chill.
Pierre meows to come in.
Ignoring him is futile.
I rise, groggy, resolved to return.
Then, a glimmer of splendor.
Our entry glows orange.
Window peering.
A ripe peach burst sky.
A glorious greeting.
Golden sun streaks shift.
A momentary quandary.
(My camera bag is in the car)
Shocking cold bare foot dash.
Plaid flannel rustles.
Damp grass amplifies the chill.
But, the bracing beauty.
A greedy gulp of magic.
Thank you Pierre.
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