A single leaf speaks
of the movement
of Summer to Fall.
Visitors
Like visitors from another planet they appear suddenly and without notice.
Their other worldly beauty is hypnotic. You need not taste them to receive the magic.
Bench
Rest here and be still like the water.
Watch the dragonflies dance.
Discover the nurture of a moment of silence.
Village
Beneath the bird feeder at the edge of the woods
is where the fairies set up their mushroom camp.
Pink
This is the color of laughter.
Floating
When smoke has choked the blue from your sky
and grey seems the color of eternity, hang on to hope
for it can keep you afloat and mend your tattered faith.
Run Off
No matter the obstacle,
water always finds its way home.
Illuminated White
Today came a cloud so white
it must have been reflecting
the heart of the moon.
First Red Tree
Along the great Long River
the first touch of Fall, a splash of red,
presents itself along the southern bank.
River View
Tie your daydreams to the dock
and watch the diamond dance of sunshine on water
as summer slides into fall.
Bridge
The span links neighbor to neighbor,
above the river, across state lines.
Community knows no jurisdiction.
Wind Chime
It is the breath of the divine
that makes the chime sound.
Cement Squirrel
It is the magic of care and whimsey
that moves you from spot to spot
to enjoy the views of the garden.
Window Box
When the old red barn is dressed up with a window box
not even the high noon sun can wilt away
her pretty-fication.
Hearts
Tender hearts bear their leafy souls
to the sun and the weather of the day
as the wind chime cheers them on
and a spider’s web holds them up.
Birdhouse
The babies have feathered and flown.
It is time to wing to the South.
Your house holds the echo of your song,
and awaits your return in the spring.
Nearness
Tim
seeks me
in the garden
small
white
butterfly
always
hovering
nearby
Ghost
that I glimpse
from the side of my eye
Darting through blossoms
resting on leaves
taking advantage of sunshine and breeze
Pointing out a shapely cloud
waiting on my mailbox
inquisitive antenna cocked
Reminding me
as mortality
rages on
death
is not
the final stop.
Tim Mann, dear friend and fellow traveler,
you are remembered.
Charlotte
Charlotte, my dear,
I’d prefer it if you
left your messages outside.
Family Farm
The fields empty at dusk.
The kitchen fills with the sound of hungry forks
and the quiet of resting work boots.
Rest
Until the crops have given their full yield
you may rest in the high weeds with the moon flower.
When it is time to till again you will carry the full weight of a man and his dreams.
Reeds
When the reeds begin to sing their rustling song of early Fall
the geese know it is time to prepare for their pilgrimage south.
Reflections
The images of the day
roll across the river’s surface.
A moving picture that will only show once.
Flower Farm
Shoulder high your flowers grow
row after row
awaiting their service of solace or celebration.
Dark Clouds
Seek shelter from the gathering storm.
Let faith be a blanket that keeps you warm.
Door Yard
I will pick a bouquet
of rosemary, sage, thyme and lemon grass
to honor and adorn tonight’s chicken.
Round the Bend
When the present arrives
suddenly and surely like a train
the past is left behind
and the future is forever before us.
Staked Claim
Nestled against the mountain,
tucked beneath a tree,
only the residents know the way in.
Green Mountains
You seem to extend into eternity.
Next to you I know my smallness is the right size.
I am a necessary fragment of your wholeness.
Meadow
This is where the dragonflies play
on lazy summer days.
Paradise is at your feet.
Jalopy
All your miles brought you to this empty field.
Doors are flung wide, frozen in time,
your driver and passenger eternally on the run.