Celebrating Springtime

I love this time of year — 

Not just the lilacs, rhodies and lupines blooming, 

But also watching the tenderness 

 With which the doe cares for her fawn; 

The way she tucks him away 

While foraging for food 

And licks him clean as he nurses — 

So heartening, to see that life goes on 

In spite of all the mistakes we seem to make…

Driftwood

When I first became a photographer 

 I was obsessed with shots like this; 

With the colors that appear 

On driftwood when it rains. 

Though I’m rarely on a beach these days, 

I’m still drawn to that beauty: 

For some reason, 

The textures and complexity make my heart ache.

Oppositional forces

The power of those giant roots, 

Not deep, but on the surface,

 Clinging to uneven terrain,

 Movement so fluid, 

Contrasting with the linear 

Solidity of the tree they support; 

A marriage of opposites, 

Not unlike my own…

That ray of light

Sunset, on a cloudy day, 

When all the world seems gray 

And just then, at the last minute,

 A slight parting, and a burst of color 

Ignites both sky and lawn, 

And turns the lavender from dull to vibrant: 

Just think! 

If each of us could be that ray of light, however small, That heightens all the beauty lying dormant; 

Waiting for that spark of hope…

Lupine season

It’s lupine season at our local lighthouse, 

And their lemony stalks are everywhere, 

 Lining the walkways and framing the vistas 

With their delicate scent.

 I’ve never been a big fan of yellow, 

But yellow roses and yellow lupines 

Make my heart sing 

Even as the harsher golden shades 

Of the ubiquitous scotch broom 

Make me grit my teeth and grumble. 

What is it about us humans 

That always wants to say 

That I like this, but not that? 

Why must we always divide the world?

Why cast blame?

Which do we find more beautiful: 

The reflections water casts on the boat? 

Or the reflections cast by the boat upon the water? 

And why be forced to choose? 

Isn’t it the wholeness of the scene 

That has the most impact? 

As in any relationship, isn’t the beauty in it — 

Or the darkness —

 Compounded by and greater than 

The individual contributions?

Beauty in loss

The flowers tell us 

There’s beauty to be found 

Even in loss, 

But that’s not a song we care to hear 

In times like these 

When there’s so much to mourn…