fingers of moss
entwine the old tree
a lover’s goodbye embrace.
Encouragement
last year’s pinecone
inspires this year’s seedling.
Circle Theory
At each ending a beginning,
at each beginning an ending.
Infinity.
Pileated
Red cap matching cranberries
the stealth woodpecker
taps out his morse code.
Encounter
Coming upon the cairn in the woods
I knew we were still traveling together.
I added one stone for the two of us
and saw the face of a wise, knowing owl.
Nature’s Classroom
Fall illustrates
with astounding beauty and inevitable departures
the lesson of impermanence.
Slender Thread
We are tied to this earth
with a thread more slender and fragile
than the stem of a birch leaf in autumn.
Fringe
This tree wears its bark
like a flapper’s dress.
Bonsai
At the edge of the forest
where enchantment begins
grows a tiny tree of goldenrod.
Wisdom
The gnarled tree
holds the history and tells the story
of the woods.
Listen closely.
Treasure
All sorts and conditions
of acorns
constitute the chipmunks hoard.
Fourth Leaf
From the decay of the birch
emerges clover and moss;
an unexpected enchantment.
Morning Tree
First light pierces through
the nocturnal shade
and reveals one more summer’s day.
The Tao of Trees
In his stillness
the squirrel seeks
to become one with the tree.
Leaf Lace
The crown of the tree
wears a veil of green.
Log Bridge
A fallen tree
makes the perfect spot
to sit and spy on fish.
Wrinkles
Wrinkles in the tree’s bark
will forever honor the missing branch.
Smile lines of its former reach.
Golden Willow
In the midst of winter,
the willow shines its golden light.
This is where the fairies dance at night.
Tree Bones
Weathered by the seasons
bleached by the sun
the bones of the tree remain.
Lightening Tree
Immortalized by lightening strike
the tree’s remains are a monument to itself.
Cartography
Like lines on a face
bark is the map of a tree’s experience
a testament to the demands of living.
Yellow Tree
A tree of color shouts out into the bright blue night
calling to the night’s first, tiny star
friend, I’ve missed you.
Ice Flow
The moment is caught in midstream
like the oak leaf
frozen in time.
Needles and Bark
Tiny needles and a massive trunk
are balanced in the pine,
perfect counterparts.
Emerald Table
The emerald table is a sacred place
where the forest kin celebrate harvest.
Staked Claim
Nestled against the mountain,
tucked beneath a tree,
only the residents know the way in.
Wood Lace
Delicate adornment,
lichen lace modestly covers
the crotch of branch and trunk.
Bent
A tree of great courage
refused to be broken
and dared to reach for the sky.
Tree Spirits
The tree spirits wear bark masks
and leave them behind
for us to remember them by.
