Sleeping beauty

I don’t know the story of this house, 

But it speaks to me of desolation, desperation, 

Loss and loneliness. 

With no way in, and no way out, 

And no one with the energy 

To fight back all the thorns and thistles 

And turn this house back to a home: 

It makes me ache to see it.

Let us be light

With a glimpse of sunlight 

Through a rain-washed window, 

Framed by a darkened sky, 

Can a rainbow be far behind? 

Let us be the light that awakens rainbows 

When darkness threatens to overwhelm us all.

Where did the summer go?

I can’t believe it’s time already 

For the leaves to be turning red. 

Where did the summer go?

Nature’s consciousness

When the cloud mimics the trees 

On its horizon, we can postulate 

 That nature might be conscious of herself; 

Might even have a sense of humor; 

That the cloud teases the trees, 

And the trees chuckle among themselves, 

And feel more proud and beautiful, 

Having been flattered by her charming imitation.

Asking for help

There will be times 

When “doing what comes naturally” 

Gets us into trouble: 

Minor troubles, for the most part, 

But there may be problems 

We struggle to resolve on our own. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help: 

Your willingness to admit to need 

Is another’s opportunity to feel 

The pleasure of generosity.

How bountiful

The majestic sweep of bridge and sky, 

The mountains and the sea conspire 

To remind us just how small we are, 

And how fortunate, to reap the benefits 

Of living in so bountiful an environment.

Simple things

So kind of you to leave us your chairs 

That we might pause to enjoy the view 

While out on our evening walk. 

Imagine if kindness and finding pleasure 

In simple things 

Were goals all of us bought into…

Ordinary beauty

Perhaps, as John Cowper Powys suggests, 

Life would be sweeter 

 If we could learn to appreciate — Even enjoy — 

The beauty in the ordinary, 

So that even a trip to the mailbox 

Becomes a pleasant excursion…

Fire season

It’s fire season in our fair state, 

And though our little corner has been lucky so far, 

The major road onto our peninsula was closed 

All Thursday day and night 

For a fire that was finally contained 

But still burning when we drove out Friday. 

And so we were doubly grateful

for last night’s rain…

Seeking answers

Like the squirrel who leaps into my fig tree 

To sample its wares, 

We sample the answers 

 The world has to offer 

To the questions that trouble us most: 

Why, and what if, and how did this happen, 

And what might I do 

To accept or improve circumstances?

Simple pleasures

Let us never be so carried away 

By life’s trials and tribulations 

 That we forget to be grateful 

 For the simple pleasures that can greet us, 

Even in our darkest moments.

Abstraction

Abstraction requires a tolerance for ambiguity; 

An ability to live in a world 

That cannot be reduced to black and white 

Or right and wrong; 

Where one thing merges into another 

And the underlying understanding is 

That somehow, somewhere, 

Beneath all we know to be separate, 

Everything connects in mysterious ways.

Outshone

Who notices the moon at her slow rising, 

When the sun is filling the sky with color 

As she drops below the horizon? 

And yet it is the moon 

Who so bravely blesses the darkness, 

Sharing what little light she can muster 

With anyone who seeks it.

Peaceful reflections

Peaceful reflections on a sunny summer’s day 

Help us set aside the troubles of the world.

Let there be light

May the light that pours through these windows 

Pour through us as well.

Ignition to ashes

Long after the sun goes down, 

The sky is still ablaze with color, 

And yet, come morning, 

The sky is gray with fog; No colors to be seen. 

How like a life that seems, 

Or a brief moment’s celebrity:

 Ignition, and then ashes…

Illusion

Watch closely: 

There may be things you can’t explain; 

That don’t seem to jive 

 With your memory of how things were. 

Don’t be afraid; it may just be a trick of the light — 

Or perhaps some more sinister illusion…

Summer gardens

There is such grace in a summer garden; 

An alluring peace, an invitation 

To simply sit and breathe the scents 

Of a summer’s afternoon…

Moving forward

There are days when change is in the air 

And it all seems overwhelming. 

At times like this, it’s good to step back, 

Take a deep breath, and look at the long view. 

 Yes, you’re leaving the old life behind, 

With its clarity and familiarity, 

But a new life awaits, with new adventures, 

New potential, and opportunities for growth: 

Breathe again, and leap into it!

Seeking the light

May the thorny obstacles in our path 

Give way to the light that awaits us.