• poems,  poetry,  shadows

    Keeping my eyes open

    Each day offers moments enticing me to keep my eyes
    open and aware of the world around me.

    No matter how familiar the world may appear to my senses
    may these brief moments surprise me as never before.

    Oh, to see the sacredness, simplicity, and beauty
    of shadows spreading across on my bedroom wall.

    mws
  • coffee life,  poems,  writing/reading

    Living a Privileged Life


    Someone rummages through garbage for food
    Someone hides in the closet in fear of another beating
    Someone loses their child in senseless bombing
    Someone faces another day of dialysis
    Someone receives an wanted pathology report
    Someone contemplates their suicide
    Someone buries a loved one

    While I enjoy my coffee life and mocha latte
    While I live a privileged life

    mws
  • landscape,  natural areas,  nature,  quotes,  storm clouds

    Its self and its form are one…

    Ominous clouds and rain at the Trailhead

    The poet wants to drink from the well of origin; to write the poem that has not yet been written. In order to enter this level of originality, the poet must reach beyond the chorus of chattering voices that people the surface of a culture. Furthermore, the poet must reach deeper inward; go deeper than the private hoard of voices down to the root-voice. It is here that individuality has the taste of danger, vitality and vulnerability. Here the creative has the necessity of inevitability; this is the threshold where imagination engages raw, unformed experience. This is the sense you have when you read a true poem. You know it could not be other than it is. Its self and its form are one.

    John O’Donohue

    I felt a bit restless and leaning on the discontent side of things Sunday afternoon. I would say it’s what O’Donohue calls “the private hoard of voices” that sometimes hang out in my head. My solution was some journaling time, a walk at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area and connecting to the poem of nature (I like that phrase). After journaling I decided I better get a walk in before it rained as the wind had picked up and darker clouds slowly moved in. Good timing as It began sprinkling by the time I walked back to the car but it never did rain. I have been fascinated by some wonderful clouds this spring and Sunday was another day for them. I accepted the gift nature offered me and now offer it to you!

  • flowers,  Plants,  poems

    A Beautiful Spring Day

    inspired by a beautiful spring day
    I caught the Max to campus

    with an iced chai, I found a spot surrounded
    by the quiet of the campus courtyard

    soaking in the silence, I began listening
    and writing words in my journal

    abruptly, the quiet became chaos
    as students poured out of classrooms

    now surrounded by every size, shape, color
    of student and backpack imaginable

    conversations exploded everywhere,
    gossip, tales from last night and laughter.

    then gently, peace and quiet returned
    as everyone moved on to their next period.

    and in this quiet I wondered,
    how many saw the daffodils?

    mws
  • clouds,  horizons,  landscape,  trees

    The Gift of Words

    One of my favoritest cottonwood trees

    I just finished reading a second book by George N. Wallace. I mentioned his other book here, which was a collection of poems and essays. This book I just finished is all poetry, Enjoying the Work. I have found his writing humorous, while at times causing tears to well up in my eyes, and he does not use metaphors that cause me to wander off in stray thoughts as I try to figure out what he is saying. In his introduction he writes how poetry is therapeutic, helping him to see the beauty of an approaching thunderhead, it also mercifully dilutes the bile arising as one witnesses injustices, or ecological wounding, and hopefully permitting wisdom, love and clear-eyed resistance to prevail. I found it an easy read for me. He inspires me to write. I am thankful for his gift in words. I’ll buy his next book when it comes out.

  • coffee life,  coffee shops

    A New Book of Poetry

    This morning’s eastern sky offered a few scattered pink clouds on a light blue canvas for those of us who were awake at that hour. As the colors faded I made my way to the coffee shop where my barista, Emma, greeted me with a smile and made me a mocha, both bolstered the start of my day. I brought along a new poetry book to read, written by a retired professor from Colorado State University. So far I find his writing down to earth, easy to read and have had a wonderful belly laugh at a couple of his poems. He writes about the 50 plus years of farming and ranching he and his wife have enjoyed in northern Colorado. He seems to have some good things to say that many in our world need to hear, such as, “when working on something side by side (be it Fencelines or other things)… (our) differences tend to blend into similarities.” It also has some wonderful artwork in it! Enjoy your Friday and weekend!

  • poems,  poetry,  seasons,  shadows,  snow,  winter scenes

    The Source Within

    Everything you see has its roots
    In the unseen world.
    The forms may change
    Yet the essence remains the same.
    Every wondrous site will vanish,
    Every sweet word will fade,
    But do not be disheartened,
    The Source they come from is Eternal,
    Growing, branching out,
    Giving new life and new joy.
    Why do you weep?
    That source is within you
    And this whole world
    Is springing up from it.

    Rumi