The dust lay heavy

On the trail

On the leaves of trees

On the scrub undergrowth

And the rocks everywhere.

 

Dust nearly choking

Every heat-laden breath

As we trudged forward

Sweating with backpack burdens

Toward a campground

As yet unseen.

 

Step after burning step

We moved along, some staggering,

Till at last we descended

Into a small glen

Washed with the breath

Of sweet brook water.

 

Here at last was shelter

From the sun and dust.

Evergreen trees stretched tall

Casting cool shadows

Into which we pooled

Settling our tents and packs

Making our home for the night.

 

Sleep, deep and soothing

Came easily there

In the forested quiet

Kissed by the music of water.

Our long hot walk forgotten, forgiven

Within the glade.

 

We rose in the morning

Reluctant to leave

As the new day’s heat

Already sifted down

Through the trees,

And circled us like a predator

As we climbed out.

 

Our reluctant feet plodded upward

While our minds drifted

Back to the cool oasis

Left behind which still energized

The surge once more toward home.

 

#CaliforniaandSummer #SummerPoem #HikingPoem

 

 

 

 

We laughed together

Every time we spoke.

For a brief, easy moment

Or riotously

Till our eyes watered.

 

While we laughed

Our hearts were lighter

As if we were once more

Children at play.

 

Did that shared laughter

Outweigh the deep

Political divide,

And the long lists

Of troubles poured out

Over the many years?

 

Did our laughter

Have more weight

On the scale of time?

Were those light moments

Enough to support long friendship?

 

For words spoken in elegy

Or in epitaph,

What higher praise

Might there be than these:

 

We laughed together.

 

#Friendship #FriendshipValues

 

 

The first time I smelled lilac blooms,

Was at a hotel in Oregon.

The lilacs draped a wall

separating the hotel car park

from a nature preserve.

I returned as often as I could

to walk beside the delicate scent

held in that narrow space.

The fragrance was thick like fog,

yet airy, floating gently like bubbles on the air.

And it was pure, without the undertones

found in bath salts or perfume—

wonderfully sweet, but not cloying.

That corridor between the trees

lining the wetlands and a car park,

was like a small room hugged around

with that delicate scent.

For the casual visitor, it was

a bit of heaven dropped to earth.

 

#NaturePoetry #Lilacs

Give yourself permission

To sing outside the shower

To dance to piped-in music wherever—

Elevator or grocery store

To dream in the daylight

 

To make room for beauty

A flower, laughing trees

Dogs and cats romping

The kind word to a stranger

 

To take time to notice life

Feel its pulse in the air

Hear the breathing of the earth

To feel the touch that says you are alive

 

#Freedom #lifestyle #LifeAdvice