Tag: nature

The Center

On By Piano girl7 Comments

A long life
Well-lived
The center
Of attention
And rightly so
Possessing a beauty
Difficult to describe-
Like a grandmother
Whose arms were able
To reach out in
All directions
At the same time
You pulled us in
Shared your stories
And listened to ours-
You were taken
In an instant
No one will sit
In the wisdom
Of your shade again-
And my heart is broken

I am saddened by the news of wildfires in Maui, Hawaii. The one-hundred-fifty-year-old Banyan tree I sat under a few weeks ago is gone. Along with it, most of the town to which it was the center.

A quaint main street lined with local businesses and restaurants. The constant sound of ocean waves. People, nature, structures-a way of life-all taken in a terrifying instant. I couldn’t allow the day to end without expressing my love and heartache for this beautiful place.

Lahain Banyan Court Park-Destroyed by wildfires August 9, 2023.

Miles Away

On By Piano girl12 Comments

It could be the one-hundred-plus-excessive-heat-warning temperatures.

It could be because I’m missing Dad.

It’s most likely an all-of-the-above answer to any multiple-choice question you might ask.

Whatever the question or the answer, my thoughts keep drifting.

What would I give?
To rest in
The Wisdom
Of your shade
To sit beneath 
Limbs-curved
And crooked from
Over a century 
Of growing
Reaching 
Learning to be-
Witness to 
Stories unseen
Standing vigil
Thru seasons of
Darkness 
And light
Firmly holding
In your arms
All those seeking rest-
What would I give?
To rest in
The Wisdom
Of your shade-
Listening 
As the tide rolls in
Wondering 
If you can hear it, too
Lahaina Banyan Court Park-Maui, HI photo credit Gart Morris ❤️

Collaboration

On By Piano girl4 Comments

I love connecting with others in the WordPress family. Reading and learning about you and your corners of the world is fascinating.

David, the author of the https://skepticskaddish.com/ blog, offers a regular opportunity for collaboration. I’ve thought about participating many times. Finally, this week, I submitted a poem.

He graciously accepted and wrote a poem in response.

Here’s the beginning of my poem.

Looking Up

My earliest memories
Are only glimpses
A tiny sapling
Growing roots
Dancing
Swaying
In the breeze
Waiting for limbs
To grow stronger
To reach farther
Wishing time
Would speed up-
I have felt
The seasons
Changing from
Bright greens
To deep reds
Warm yellows
To crunchy browns
Again and again
Wishing time
Would slow down-

Read the remainder along with David’s response by clicking the link below. 😊

skepticskaddish.com/2023/07/25/too-strong-or-to-understand/

Open Fields

On By Piano girl2 Comments

Dense Fog
Rolled in
Last week
Came prepared
To stay awhile
Despite the lack
Of invitation
Hung around
Clouded my vision-
Got a headache
From constantly
Squinting


Until…

The tiniest
Wave of Light
Called me out
Into the clearing
And we said
Goodbye
From the other side

View From Here

On By Piano girlLeave a comment

Feet firmly planted
I look up
You seem
So far away
Your curious smile
Offering shelter
As well as fuel
For my imagination
Yesterday
Your appearance
Was somber
Unable to hold
The weight
Of your tears
Tossed around
By life’s storms

Cautiously standing
On the edge of
The highest height
You are closer
But different
A fluffy blanket
Calling to me
Stretch out your arms
Trust me, as you
Freefall into
This softness-
An illusion
To be sure
But, oh,
What a sweet
Consideration

Hidden Hues

On By Piano girl10 Comments

Why insist on
Seeing things
Only the way
That you want
To see them?
Everything
A part of
The same
Domain-edges
Clearly defined
Explanations
Always
In black
And white
No room for
Meaningful
Questions or
Incomplete
Answers-
Hues
Undreamt
Wait to be
Discovered
In the hidden
Curves
Of our world
And the secret
Corners
Of our hearts

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl2 Comments

Playful Interpretation

Yesterday
I smiled
Watching you
Flit and flutter
All around
So small
Compared to
Your surroundings
So small
Yet, able to
Captivate the
Hearts and
Imagination
Of those
Both inside
And outside
Your world-
Realms to which
You offer a
Playful grin
In your daily
Flitting and
Fluttering
Of living

On our trip, I often noticed the tiny things around us. In the water, on the sand, in the rainforest-the massive made up of the minuscule. If only I’d had a microscope!

Of course, the big picture was also captivating. Even a panoramic taken through a telescope would not do it justice. Maybe just that recognition is enough. I’m not sure. I suppose there is room for interpretation. 😉

Photo Credit: Gart Morris
Photo Credit: Gart Morris
Ali’i Kula LavenderFarm
https://www.aliikulalavender.com/

Sweet Reminders

On By Piano girl6 Comments

Today was our last day in Maui. Sad to leave but ready to be home. I will miss the slower pace of life here. It is refreshing.

A few things I take with me.

The constant rhythm of ocean waves- A reminder to listen thoughtfully.

The colorful contrasts between land, sea, and sky-A reminder to look curiously.

The ever-changing view from one day to the next from the same spot-A reminder to expect surprises.

That there is such a thing as terrifyingly beautiful views. Terrifying if only due to the path required to witness them.

And the knowledge that calm is only a breath away-maybe two. 😉

The love felt in celebrating thirty years of marriage in this beautiful place-Reminding me to be graciously grateful.

Little Lessons

On By Piano girlLeave a comment

My bare feet squished in the sand as we walked along the shore. I smiled as my husband’s footprints disappeared within seconds. It occurred to me that not getting a pedicure before our trip was not a big deal after all.

I picked up a tiny piece of coral, obviously aged by the sand and waves. We talked about how it once was alive. I left it there to wash back out to its home. This one little thing represents an entire way of life? Now that is a big deal! 💙

White foam
Rolls in
Rolls out
As tides shift
And sandy shores
Silently wait-
Motion on the
Surface is
Endless-
One quick
Glance below
Reveals
Surprising
Stillness
Colorful
Creatures
Gracefully
Traversing
Their home
A peaceful
Contrast with
The waves
Overhead-
My heart could
Learn a lesson
From the wisdom
Below the waters

From the Shore

On By Piano girl2 Comments
Kahekili Beach

Endless shades
My favorite color
Clear, bright
Dark, deep
Each hue
Weightlessly
Effortlessly
Drifting, one
Into another
Providing
Few clues
As to where
The waters end
And the heavens begin