Fog

There is something about fog,
mysterious and intriguing,
the way it covers up
all manner of things
and then reveals them slowly
as if to give us time to make sense of it all.

There is something about fog,
quiet and peaceful,
the way it muffles sounds
in blankets of stillness
and then strangely distorts them
as if to make us listen more closely.

There is something about fog,
thick and moist,
the way it leaves its mark
in dew and dampness
and then disappears completely
as if to remind us to dry our own tears.

Spring Rain

See the saturated clouds
flinging off their excess
so they can float
freely in the heavy air.

See the mighty maple
casting off its seedling bundles,
weak and hearty alike
given to their fate and the will of God.

See the timid chipmunk
scurrying out of the downspout
finally realizing
that its safe, warm nest is not the shelter it sought.

See me, discovering some hidden bravery,
throwing off my winter of angst
and allowing myself to bask in the joy
of the spring rain.

Spring Thaw

Spring thaw, still ice on the roof,
but the full gutters are singing.

The snow piles are shrinking,
undermined by rivers of melt.

Nature is shaking herself free
and stretching after the long hibernation.

As am I. Still wearing fleece and down,
but I can raise my thawing soul to the sun.

There is still some ice in my bones,
but my full heart is singing.

A Too Long Winter Lament

Where are you spring?
Still locked in the clear icicles handing from the gutters?

Where are you spring?
Hidden beneath the feet of snow blocking the sun from your roots?

Where are you spring?
When I am cold and longing for your joy?

Where are you spring?
Will you ever come back?

Haiku for a Basement Bug

Life is hard enough
without a big stomping foot
so just let it be

Dead Leaves

The trees shed their leaves
as part of nature’s plan.
The dead leaves enrich the soil
and snuff out the choking weeds,
paving the way for new growth in the spring.

But urban humans
have a different plan.
The dead leaves need to be
raked up and hauled away.
We can’t be reminded of death and decay.

When did we decide that groomed lawns
were better than wild flowers?
When did we start to assume that we could
change our fate by hiding the evidence.
When did we forget what dead leaves are for?

We need to cover ourselves in dead leaves,
letting that blanket connect us
to all we have lost.
We need to die and decay
and pave the way for our own new growth in the spring.

Twists and Turns

The wind makes ripples in the pool
and I am there to see it.

Thus, every twist and turn in my life
has brought me to this instant.

And every twist and turn in every life before me
has led me to this place.

And every twist and turn in the lives of all
who made the pool, who built the building, who pumped the water

or the water itself from the lake, from the glaciers, from the sky,
from the molecules of the big bang.

The realization boggles my mind,
how inextricably connected all things are in every twist and turn.

Morningsong

What makes you so happy, little winged ones?
What fills your hearts with songs?

Is it the morning sun?
Is it the offered seeds?

Are you singing to your mates,
or your chicks, or your God?

I wish I could understand you,
so I too could sing a joyful morningsong.

A Springtime Lament

April showers bring May flowers,
but what do April snows bring?

The waiting is getting tiresome.
Spring knocks, but winter refuses to let it in.

So, I huddle in my blanket,
with my white sandals in my hand,

longing for the moment
when I am free to put them on.

Snow Bird

Those little birds that brave the cold,
their bodies puffed with feathers,
they huddle close beneath the bows
of pines in frozen weather.

Those silly things, didn’t they know
to fly south for the season?
But if there’s food and shelter here
I guess that’s enough reason.

I have food and shelter too.
Is that why I’m not going
to where the sunny beaches bake
and blue waters are flowing?

I guess that I’ll just brave the cold,
my body puffed with flannel.
I’ll sip hot chocolate from a mug,
and watch the shopping channel.