The archetypal pattern lies
deep in your bulb,
waiting beneath
the earth’s surface.
The primordial force pushes
you up through the
layers of soil
as you spiral
skyward, drawn by the sun, fed by
the gentle rain,
unfolding leaves
and soft petals.
Category Archives: Nature
Eating Mindfully
Have you ever eaten
a blackberry mindfully?
Or a blueberry or strawberry?
Close your eyes, take one bite
and your taste buds will
explode with delight.
Savor the sweet, sour taste,
roll the berry with your tongue,
feel its texture, its shape.
Grind the seeds with your teeth.
Let it stay in your mouth
as long as you can,
cherishing each sensation.
The Tree
You are the tree that draws me
Each time I visit this place of retreat.
I see in your broken limbs
The challenges you have faced.
I see the wounds that have healed
So you can grow.
I see twisted branches formed as
You traveled on your crooked journey
To wholeness.
I see your branches spread out wide
As far as they can go,
Open with wisdom and compassion to
Enfold those who lean against your trunk.
I thank you for being my anchor each time.
While I Work
While I work,
she softly sleeps
on the tan couch,
head on its arm,
paws touching,
a parcel of
brown and white,
curled in a ball of warmth.
I wonder what she is dreaming.
Is she sniffing her way around the pond,
testing the thin ice on its edge,
pausing to smell a cedar tree,
jumping when a heron takes flight?
Or is she in the dog park
cautiously greeting other dogs,
racing around the perimeter,
stopping occasionally to
make sure I am still there?
What a comfort to know that
when I move,
she will open her hazel eyes
and track my every step,
waiting to see
if it is time to follow.
What more could the world offer
at this moment, this very moment?
Early Sunday Morning
Striding ahead on Pine Trail
in Powhatan State Park,
energized by cooler air,
I almost trip and fall,
and am reminded that
I might be missing that
for which I have come,
so Luna and I
stop, look, and listen.
A canopy of trees overhead
keeps us almost dry
as the gentle rain hits
leaves far above
and plops on those below.
I see wet and glistening
Sassafras, and
shy, striped Wintergreen,
soft green moss,
and a path strewn
with rusty pine needles.
I hear birds chattering
to their neighbors
and squirrels foraging.
Only a distant plane
interrupts the peace
that comes to those
walking in the woods.
Who could ask for more?
Right here, right now,
I have everything I need.
Mr. Bluebird
Fiercely protective of
his territory and brood,
a male bluebird pecks on
a downstairs window,
attacking the enemy.
He flies up and
begins anew on
an upstairs window,
seeing the image only
as one who will do him harm.
Even though we understand
the mystery of a reflection,
we are much like this bluebird,
unable to see who
the real enemy is.
As Pogo said, “We have
met the enemy and
he is us.”
Pay Attention
On a grey morning, bright yellow
fields of flowers
caught my eye and
lifted me up,
caused me to pay attention to
spots of beauty —
pink crepe myrtles
feathery grass —
shifted my thoughts and reminded
me to focus
on here and now
not there and then.
Here and There
Raucously shouting fall is here,
geese fly over
on a cool day
refreshed by rain.
The grass is greener and willows
drip, creeks gurgle,
full but contained.
Crepe myrtles bend.
All the while victims of Harvey
in shock, wonder
how they will find
strength to move on.
Best Antidote
Best antidote for feeling low:
go outside and
see what Mother
Nature has on
her menu at this moment, seen
and unseen. A
full palette of
greens, tender breeze,
shadows snaking up knotted trunks,
clouds drifting by,
earth’s fecund scent,
there just for you.
untangling the web 