Creeping Kudzu of the mind – fear, worry,
blame – chokes out old
growth, smothers
new, slides
from
mind
to mind,
leaving no
room for the green
of love, acceptance, or wisdom to grow.
JDG
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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.”
Thoughts
I deadhead the daffodils, once beautiful, now fading,
so I can see the purple flowers on the copper ajuga.
I think that sometimes to see beauty,
we have to shed what once was,
what we held on to for so long….
memories, expectations, dreams.
Only then can we see the tender shoots
of new growth, of new beginnings.
One Frosty Morning
Diamonds in the grass,
frosted spider webs in a roadside ditch,
weeping willow branches a tender green.
What else is there on my path,
seldom noticed but there,
waiting to reveal itself?
Often it is the unexpected
that brings us joy.
A wrong turn, a red stoplight,
children laughing,
a single daffodil pushing up.
Embrace them all!
Morning Meditation
I love this poem written by my friend
When I consider
how quickly the morning frost
fades beneath sun’s warmth.
I pause and send my patches
of frozenness compassion.
JDG
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.
Thoughts
My husband and I and our dog Luna drove into the city yesterday to hike across the new Potterfield Bridge and then through the woods and back across the James River to Belle Isle, an island located at the fall line of the James with a beautiful view of the rapids as well as Hollywood Cemetery and the Richmond skyline. The day was perfect for a long hike—cool and sunny after several days of rain. Many people were out to enjoy the water and the fresh air — young and old, black and white and brown, dogs and children.
Belle Isle has not always been a happy place. During the Civil War it was an open-air Confederate prison camp with minimal shelter. The facility was built for 3,000 prisoners but reports say that this number was doubled or tripled at times. This overcrowding resulted in multiple health issues and the heat in the summer and cold in the winter added to the prisoners’ problems. A sign on the island says that 1,000 Union soldiers perished while there.
As we sat on the rocks at water’s edge refreshing our tired feet in the cold James River, Luna nearby, I could not help but wonder what the 1,000 Union soldiers who died on this island would think if they knew people were still fighting the war for which so, so many gave their lives.
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.
A Surprising Turn
Wanting to relax, to let go
of all that held me tightly
in its grip, I turned my attention
to my breath, counting as
I inhaled, then exhaled,
then inhaled again.
Suddenly,
I was surprised to find
my eyes fill with tears,
tears not of sadness or relief,
but simply tears of gratitude
for the mystery of breath itself.
With that sudden flow
of gratitude came an unexpected
letting go.
JDG
Queen Anne’s Lace
Take pleasure in beauty wherever you are.
Queen Anne’s lace in a roadside ditch,
pink petunias at the foot of a wall,
bright yellow dandelions punctuating a field,
or white hydrangeas hanging low.
Appreciate it all while you can,
before they (or you!) fade away.
untangling the web 