Simple Gifts and Magical Moments

The air hangs heavy And my body aches With sympathy. The pressure creates Intense desire For release. The tension is tangible. Sweat clings to my body. The clouds hang bloated Making the day Dim and uncertain. My skin prickles, A shuddering breath Then tumultuous rain. Release comes. With a violent clash Of light and sound

At a safe distance She stood and watched The waterfall pulse With life and energy. The spray, slipped Around and in, Damp inside Drab clothes, Isolating her In gray mist. Water punished Rock and earth, Ripping away bits. Her body thrummed. The power, Insistent and restless, Pushed branches, Her hair and clothes. She shivered, Still and silent As the Falls spoke Her screams.

You learn to recognize her moods. Sometimes she is soft and gentle. Her touch slides across you, Soothing and calm. She sings a lullaby, As she wraps around you, Covering you with with her embrace. Other times she sparkles. Her voice chortles. Her dance is sinuous and enticing, But her coolness makes you wary, And you keep your distance. Today she is swollen and heavy. She wraps herself in veiling fog, But demands attention. She slaps you with cold power, Barely contained. No one can ignore her.

October Is the month Of depression. It leaves me Swollen with emotion, Dark and crumbling, Like a rain soaked Rotten log. There are moments though, Crisp and bright, When the leaves dance And the trees whisper. My spirit stirs, Remembering That as a child I laughed And chased the wind. Breathing the musk Of autumn, Full of emotion and memory, I embrace the change.

This is a closeup of a jellyfish

Long and firm But giving way, Towards forest floor The fir tree splays - Tall no more. Dark and brown And mossy green, Soft decay A fallen dream. Broken down And gone astray, Massive roots Given way. Worms and beetles Feast and feed, Scuttle and chew In desperate need. Survival The forest creed. Death belongs - It's Nature's seed.

Notes of music Fall into my soul Beating Against the hard Compact surface Running off In a flood Of emotion. The cracked surface Resists repels And then drinks Sucking greedily, Needing more. Never enough. The soul softens, Expands, New life. Reaching for more Beginning In a song. Cascading rhythms Refresh The parched landscape.

I love, The sound of the waves, Strong but subtle. The feel of the sand between my toes. Warm. The birds, so many species of birds. Bright and dull. Watching the water splash and shape. Light. Being able to walk and walk and walk. The smell. They way Coal gets crazy, like a pup. Butt wag. Sniffing the tide line then trotting up to the water Cautious and perky. Afraid of the waves but loving the cool. No swimming! He always has to taste the ocean water, Still salty. I love all the interesting things you can find, Bits of stories And the way it always changes. I love the peace.

Snoqualmie smooth and softly pink Colors swirling with sunset’s ink Autumn trees and winters cool Mallards swimming in your pool. River rocks and Siren’s song In your embrace, I belong.

I have seen a lone tree sing, As it belly-danced in the wind, In a field in early spring. I have heard coyotes yip Their voices only, surrounding me On an ordinary hiking trip. I have listened to frogs Their voices a million strong Creation started with pollywogs. I have looked in the eyes Of a small and fearless red fox A shared moment of surprise. I have walked along the river path The sound of water flowing and rain patter A wet and musical bath. I have stopped in my tracks For a small pink leaf in a puddle of mud Its beauty unique although its setting lacks. I have sat still on a rock as night slowly fell. My dog’s nose twitching, my human ears straining, Sight giving way, to sound and smell And taking flight from a tree An owl turned its head 180 degrees To look back at me. Magic moments filled with grace Life’s simple pleasure or God’s gifts These are the things I choose to embrace.

Fat cat pacing in my lap Demanding attention Your tail going slap. Silly cat biting my thumb, Impossible for me to ignore, So heavy my legs will go numb. Soft cat I hear your purr OK, I’ll stop writing And stroke your smooth fur.