Peering into endless darkness
Fearing night’s disquieting steps
Hiding in wilderness shadows
Hearing distant tap at doorstep
Searching horizon, now silent
Missing gracious slice of moonlight
Looking into starless abyss
Galloping toward hidden knight
Catching glimpse of advancing dawn
Feeling comfortable with fate
Focusing on ember of light
Opening journey’s final gate
Reaching intended rendezvous
Bring peace to life’s blessed love
Sharing from adventure’s story
Finding early sunrise above
Clouds migrate away
Sunrise circulates her warmth—
Morning’s chill escapes
Dancing tree branches
Harmony’s rhythmic movements—
Breath of turbulence
Overcast all day
Gray canvas waits with patience—
Sunset paints with light
The inspiration for this poem comes from a photograph published on Jan’s blog in her “Wordless Wednesday” post. Check out her site for some wonderful poetry, inspiration, photography, and so much more. There is probably a hint (yes, definitely) of the rustic and tranquil life experienced in the small communities of western Montana.
Photo by Wiriyah Ruechaipanit on Pexels.com
Picturesque, isolated hamlet
Resting below mountainous shadows
Nestled along lake’s calming fingers
Life’s narrative writing tranquil prose
Sunrise crawls over the mountaintop
Cruising silently in their small boat
Early to rise anglers find their spot
Baiting hooks for trout with rainbow coats
Soon village shops begin to open
Curious shoppers fill crowded streets
Welcoming Farmers’ Market today
Locals selling homegrown goods and treats
Later, stillness returns to the town
Sunny, summer day comes to an end
Sun setting behind lake’s dozing shore
Waiting for tomorrow’s best friends
Photo by Maximilian Münzl on Pexels.com
Originally published May, 2020.
Dawn now arriving
Stars fading above
Gentle morning breeze
First light’s breath of love
Moonlight vanishing
Shadows fade away
Landscape awakens
Sunrise finds its way
New day beginning
Ready to engage
Consistent rhythm
Nature turning page
Daylight now stirring
Tree leaves splashed with dew
Lofty choir warms up
Songbirds out of view
Harmony singing
Each familiar tune
Daybreak’s dance ending
Soon comes afternoon
Dawn’s blanketing peace
Nourishing heart’s emptiness—
Hope welcomes daylight
Sunrise warming heart
Tender peace brightens within—
Positive outlook
Silence fills sunset
Whispers swirled with lasting peace—
Heart’s most precious gift
Man is never perfect nor contented.
The human mind delights in grand conceptions of supernatural beings.
Jules Verne (1828-1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. Several of his novels became classics, and two of his finest works are listed in the quotes above. His writings were highly skilled in their technical aspects, even though his vision was years ahead of his lifetime.
From a ridgetop garden
Nature’s treasure hides out
Offering its harvest
Flora lives all about
Flowers blooming early
Winter now disappears
Colorful bouquets reign
Sweetest fragrances cheer
Warming springtime sunshine
Changes the ground cover
New, tender shoots of grass
Young deer will discover
Trellis roof shelters grapes
Ripen in summer’s sun
Fill with juicy flavor
Birds enjoy tasty fun
Apple and black walnut trees
Shading nature’s grand shrine
Fruit dropping to the ground
Squirrels and deer will dine
Former home site lives on
Garden paradise waits
Coming alive each spring
Winking back at its mates
All of the photographs were taken during a couple of recent morning walk at Chestnut Ridge Metro Park, which is just minutes away from Canal Winchester, Ohio. The hilltop garden remains long after the house (built in the 1930s) was abandoned. I was blessed to spend several minutes photographing a very cooperative deer while I was quietly standing near a tree.
Originally published July, 2020.
From high mountain meadow
River begins fateful trip
One mile follows another
Flowing at steady clip
Creator’s light precedes
Clear path to river’s glory
Journey shaping each landscape
Scripting nature’s story
Time shall never stand still
River’s persistence will win
Always forward to its goal
Streaming patience within
Day will come, very soon
River sets up final score
Faithful waters running free
Asking for nothing more
Ocean’s waters ahead
Finish line in river’s sight
Peace traveling through its pulse
Pulling eternal might
Guard, protect, and cherish your land, for there is no afterlife for a place that started out as Heaven.
The West is dead . . . you may lose a sweetheart but you won’t forget her. (Excerpt from his book, Trails Plowed Under: Stories of the Old West.)
Charles M. Russell (1864-1926) was an American western artist. From his adopted home of Montana, he produced some of the most notable paintings and sculptures of Native American life, cowboys on the open range, and unforgettable landscapes of the Treasure State.
Driving life’s busy highway
Just needing some time away
Leaving busy, urban noise
Seeking tranquility’s home
Recharging worn batteries
Favorite place, freedom roams
Returning to hidden lake
Aligning with nature’s bond
Feeling every peaceful breath
Slice of spirit’s “Walden Pond”
Stirring calm with each sunrise
Refreshing body and mind
Leaving behind each trouble
Life as Creator designed
Enjoying one more sunset
Viewing water’s dancing light
Witnessing lasting comfort
Lake’s rhythm, now taking flight
Bringing each melody back
Life finds its own steady track
Big Sky Buckeye 