The Flower of a Strawberry

December evening

They say winteris when life dies.But look how much lightthe snow holdsas the day fades to blue!

Thread

That spider’s threadstrung across the trail.How she must have leaptto spin it and how I almoststrode and broke it. But I didn’tbecause I rememberedit was hers, it was ours.

Winter reminder

Be so stillyou hearthe beech leavestell storiesof their lifeclinging in death.

November

It’s November and natureis full of glad death, defiantlybrown and knowing what life is.

Suddenly there are swans

Suddenlythere are swansby the roadsideeverywhere. Like operagoersin McDonaldsat the rest stopeating sundaes.

Fuel

I know the leaves let go gladlybecause they trust their fallis the fuel of themselves anew.

Red, brown

May we remember the wonderof the red berry on the brown branch.

It’s raining seeds

It’s raining seedsfrom blue skies to soft ground.The world goes on.

Every so often, I remember

Every so often, I rememberI love you and, for a while,I remember nothing else.

Goldenrod

As the days cool,the world is thickwith goldenrod whichproves, I think, natureis forever optimistic.

One bird, two birds

One bird.Two birds.A world.

Abundance

Never feel sadabout a wilting flower.Every petalcontains the ideaof another bloom.

A good mosquito day

I know it’s a good daywhen the air is stilland I allow a mosquitoto whine by my earand I say—it’s OK,you need to eat,even if you’re diningon my blood. I want more of those days.

The inevitable joy of doing what comes naturally

The stream is giggling over the rocksas it falls to the lake. What does water,so light-hearted, understand that we do not?

More and more

Will I love this worldmore and more?More mud, more stone,more tree, more flower?Will my love flourishas the world growsstrong and beautiful?

First

There is no musicmore pure, no melodymore delightful thanthe first song of the wrenthat returns hometo the forest on thisnew day of spring.

Attitude

In these times when I wantto fix the world of our uncertainty,I look down and notice the seedwhich sprouts and joyfully says:I cannot believe my luck!

Pale green lichen

Fell onto the snow a piece ofpale green lichen, nature’s proofone thing needs another. I took it home to remind meI’m never truly alone.

Pod

Three black seeds in an open pod.Waiting for water and warmthand luck.

Pearls

Dark clouds, heavy rain,pearls on every tree.

Plum

I will plant a plum treeby the dusty gravel patchand hope one dayto bake a delicious pieof gratitude.

Rock time

So much to do,such places to go. Meanwhile, the rocks wait.Another’s footstepswill touch them soon.

Death and life

Let the flowers grow,let the flowers die. Remember next year comes.

Accidental goodness

Forgotten seeds, burrowed holes.The world is full of accidental goodness. It helps to remember that.

This is enough

Chickadees pluck a seed,fly away, then come backand pluck another. This is their day,this is their life,this is enough.

Scarlet pimpernel

TodayI sawa pictureofa scarlet pimpernelflowerand I criedbecause—how can anyonelook at a pictureofa scarlet pimpernelflowerand not lovethis worldand everythingin it?