A morning stillness;
Everything is in its place.
The barn door is dark.

Shade of the fir tree
Nourishes a bed of green--
Soft coexistence.

Crow sits on a branch
Cackling loud with pleasure:
"It's good as it gets."

Pastel orange blooms
Peek shyly from the tree limbs
Drinking in the shade.



The deep dappled woods
Play with the light and shadows
Remaining so still.

Faint smoke and shadows;
Long white line across the sky;
Lone pale butterfly.

Two rotten tree stumps
Sitting facing each other
Whispering of death.

Against the dead leaves
Dandelions go to seed;
Others still budding.

Rusted in the woods
Ancient mechanical piece--
Unwitting sculpture.



Near imprisoned woods,
Next to the no dog poop sign
Sits a home made bench.

The shy woodpecker
Quickly hides around the tree;
Known just by his sound.

Swift tiny spider
Darts zigzag across the road--
"It's unstoppable"*

*with acknowledgments to Lucy Bluestone Gilbertsen