Tightly held
Protected
Until time for
The unfurling of
Curved edges
Soft and smooth
Pattern of veins
Barely visible
Vibrant color
Most notable
New and fresh
Like the soft
Smooth skin
Of a newborn
Not yet marked
By time or
Weather
Though change
Begins immediately
Tossed by winds
Dampened by rain
Warmed by the sun
The steps
Incremental
Texture and color
Slowly transforming
The lovely oak leaf
Light to dark
Greens, then
Red or yellow
Finally brown
Each stage
Its own beauty
And purpose
Aging, as it should
As we should
Growing
Changing
Transformed
Tag: trees
Natural Progression
Clinging
The day
Left me
Deep
In thought
A day
Covered
In warm
Sunlight
And falling
Leaves
Sweet life in
Your small hand
Holding mine
As we walked across
Yellowing grass
Rosy cheeks
Squinting eyes
As you reached up
For me to lift you
As you reached up
And touched
The red leaves
Clinging
To the tree
A day
Covered
In life
While also
Holding space
For death-
I am left
Thankful
Clinging
To rest
A Warm Blanket
Just like that
The red leaves
Greeting me
With a smile
Every day for weeks
Fell to the ground
Their days of
Waving
In the wind
Left behind
A few remain
But if I asked
I’m sure they
Would admit
Being ready
To let go
And join
The others-
Though I knew
The day was
Approaching
That red blanket
Was a surprise
I felt sad
For a moment
Until I imagined
The warm grass
Underneath
Personal Collection
I drive past a picture-perfect scene every day. Red barn, green trees and meadows below rolling hills. Offering beauty and reasons for smiling. Looking for the two resident horses is always fun. Sometimes they are close to the road. Other times, resting under the shade of trees.
Recently I began to see additional residents in the field. Deer, from fawn to buck, grazing. Now I look for them each time I pass by. Twice, I witnessed them hopping and playing on the hillside. And grazing under the shade of a sprawling tree.
I attempted a photo from my car once. No luck. Another day, I pulled into a bank parking lot across the street. Snapped several photographs but was unable to fully capture what I saw driving past.
Maybe I will try another location, maybe not. For now, the images remain in my head. And I will keep adding to my collection with each drive past.
Horses rest and roam
Deer leap and play on the hill
Red barn proudly stands
Alive
Sole of
My foot
Pressing
Against
Warm concrete
Rocking chair
Gently
Moving me
Back and forth
As I watch
Pines dance
Across the way
Strong-yet,
Graceful
One leaning
Into the next
And the next
Then back again
Their inspiration
Originating from
The same
Cool breeze
That graces
My face
I am alive
And although
There are no
Instruments
No melody
There is music
All the same
This song may not match the sentiments of this poem exactly. However, there is one line that stood out to me today. A line I had not given much thought to when I was younger. It really is the simple things.
“…and all your money won’t another minute buy.”
Hide-n-Seek
Dewdrops
Twinkle
Like stars
Resting
Among
Green
Pine needles
Playing tricks
On my eyes
Now you
See us
Now you
Don’t
A simple game
Of hide-n-seek
The same way
Children
Play outside
‘Til the sun
Disappears
And the wind
Carries them
Home to rest
Dreaming of
Their next visit
To the Loblollies
Sitting outside one morning after a rain, I noticed little bright spots in the trees. One would shine and then disappear just as another came into view.
My eyes went back and forth between the trees for several minutes. Each glimmer made me smile.
Joy in the simple things. And how much fun is it to say Loblolly? 😉
Cathedral Grove
Gentle ferns
Brightest green
Soft clover
Delicate
White lines
A perfect carpet
For majestic
Residents
Red trunks
Growing
Standing
For hundreds
Of years
Though roots
Are shallow
Strength comes
When each
Intertwines
With the next
Building
A foundation
Stretching
From carpeted floor
Rising
Thru drifting fog
Reaching
Toward the sun-
Enter quietly
Muir Woods National Monument Mill Valley, CA 💚
Summer Morning Surprises
Cool summer morning
Pleasant surprise
Family of birds
Playing happily
In a nearby tree
Begins to circle
The sky in flight
Darting up
Dashing down
Dancing together
Like children
In a game of
Ring around the Rosie
Upon their return
To the safety
Of familiar branches
The welcoming tree
Like a wise grandmother
Rocking on the porch
Shakes with laughter
At their homecoming
Knowing they will not
Live with her forever
Especially
The young ones
For soon, they will
Find their own mates
Build their own nests
Perhaps in
A nearby tree
Perhaps not
For now, she accepts
The importance
Of protecting
While preparing
For the day
They fly away
Hopefully
Another lovely
Pleasant surprise
Cool summer morning
Shady Lessons
Variety of shades
Bright and light
Dark and deep
Hints of yellow
Specks of brown
Yet all described
As one…green
When the sun
Hits just right
I’m drawn in
As if seeing
These colors
The first time
I like to imagine
The trees with
Brighter hues
To be young
And energetic
Trees tinted with
Darker greens
Older and wiser
All standing tall
Young and old
Surrounding
Embracing
Mingling
With those
Somewhere
In between
A mesmerizing
Landscape of unity
Perhaps there are
Lessons to be learned
Among shades of green
I also attempted today’s prompt. https://www.napowrimo.net/ Write a shadorma or Fib. Each has very specific syllable patterns to follow. Here is my first ever Fib 1/1/2/3/5/8 then reversed.
Green
Leaves
Waving
Hanging on
Blustery wind wafts
Steady, green leaves do not waver
Tree branches sway greeting the wind
Quickly passing by
Peacefully
The green
Leaves
Rest
Simply Sunday
I hope you enjoy this second edition of Simply Sunday! A few more words this week, but still short and sweet. ❤
Family Trees
Tree Dreams
When we met
Her hair was
Snowy white
Sight failing
Unsteady
On her feet
Missed her husband
(Harvey) terribly
And younger days
Famous in the family
For having dreams
About trees-
A pine tree?
A baby boy
Is on the way
A flowering tree?
A baby girl
She was never wrong
My husband’s
Grandmother-
We called her Mimi
I’m glad her
Tree dreams
Came true
The Old Oak
A wooden backboard
Metal rim, no net
Nailed to an oak tree
The ground below
Covered with rocks
An uneven court
To be sure
Shaded by branches
And green leaves
The perfect spot
For a friendly
Game of H-O-R-S-E
Maybe one on one
Or three on three
Aunts, Uncles, Cousins
Lots of laughter
A few skinned
Elbows and knees-
Players are long gone
The old oak remains
Holding in its rings
The memories of
Summer days and
Basketball games
Played under its
Watchful care
I am, admittedly, not a huge sports fan. Growing up, I was never part of an official sports team. My thing was music.
I do enjoy watching the occasional college football game and March Madness basketball. Especially when the Arkansas Razorbacks are competing. Growing up in Arkansas meant being a Razorback fan.
I watched games with my family. Listened to my Dad and Uncles yelling at the TV. Learned how to “call the hogs.” Then went outside to shoot hoops under the tree on our gravel court.
I attended the University of Arkansas for graduate school. Met my husband, who was a tuba player in the Razorback Band. Watched our oldest son follow in his footsteps, continuing that Razorback Band tradition.
So, tonight I will be cheering on those Razorbacks as they play ORU in the NCAA sweet 16 games. It is sure to be exciting! And just hearing those hog calls is sure to bring back lots of fun memories. Go Hogs!
Piano Girl 