A tiny beam of hope

When so much is so wrong in the world,

 I find this wee shed heartening:

 The thought that, for however long 

It took the moss to cover this roof 

And the ivy to climb up its walls 

This shed’s allowed a trusting exchange 

Of fresh eggs, gathered by human hands, 

And money, left by grateful neighbors, 

Reassures me: 

Somewhere there’s still hope and honesty…

To a brighter future

I know things are feeling pretty rocky right now: 

The values that lit our way for so long 

Appear to be behind us, 

And increasingly obscured 

By clouds of self-interest and greed, 

But now’s the time to reach within 

And find the courage to sail forward

 Into a brighter future we can define 

Ruled by compassion and hope.

The rule of five

Having just learned there are five 

Components to a scene in a play,

 I wonder if the rule might apply 

To a picture as well, and stare at this one. 

There are the cattails in the foreground, 

And the shorebirds in the water; 

The houses on the flatland, 

The trees on the hill, 

And the clouds in the sky, 

But do they tell a story, or just sit there? 

Have they anything to offer 

Besides stillness and beauty?

Happy New Year!

May the New Year that awaits us all 

Prove as peaceful as this scene, 

And may everyone find a place at the table.

No choice involved

If I were looking for more engagement, 

I could ask which shot you prefer, 

But the truth is — it doesn’t matter, 

Because I love them both.

 It’s like being asked to choose 

Between my children: I love them both

 For all the ways they are alike 

 And for all the ways they’re different.

 I just like waking up and knowing 

That they’re there, in my life.

From obstacles to signposts

Sometimes, if you’re determined 

To head straight at a problem, 

The likelihood is strong that you’ll run aground. 

Broaden your options, 

Look at things from a different angle, 

Be willing to turn away before turning toward, 

And you may find obstacles 

Devolve into mere signposts along the way.

Looking back

Looking back over this year 

As we move toward the next, 

I wonder what it is we will remember, 

And if that will be tempered 

By the year that’s still to come, 

Or bear fruit somehow 

 In a variety of creative endeavors…