This Day Full of Shadows

Shadows on my lawn
Dance in the morning brightness;
Tree limbs lead the sway.

 

Persistent blue jay
Keeps trying the bird feeder.
(He's much too heavy.)  

 

Green grass on my lawn
Has given way to green moss.
The green continues.

 

Shadows on the rock
Carved sharply in one color
Enjoy sun's blessing.

 

 This day full of shadows
Is a day full of sunshine;
A strange paradox.

From the tall tree trunk
Fresh green baby sapling grows-
Tree gives birth to tree.

Upright, standing tall
Pine needles have all turned brown--
Illusion of life.

What is wrong with me?
Sun, breeze and walk are perfect.
I just can't complain.

Lilly holds the hen;
Indiana looking on--
The hen doesn't mind.

Palette of Farewell

Tricolored blackbird

Flashes its vivid colors

So nonchalantly. 

Sun chases the clouds;

The clouds return the favor--

Celestial see-saw.

The cows are mooing;

Such loud sounds from gentle beasts;

Hunger has volume.

Rough wind up the road

Blows the clouds hither and yon;

Chorus of wind chimes.

Forsythia blooms

Scattered among the dead leaves:

Palette of farewell.

First budding lilacs;

Dash of violet in the air.

(Will its scent follow?)

Next to the old stump

Ethereal blue cluster

Sheds its own faint light.

Calls from the forest--

Birds, animals or human?

Ambiguity.

Is it really true?

Do the old wives have it right?

Is the grass greener?

Bunny Who Wasn't

From walk of  May 7, 2016

Grayish brown shadow

Scurries into the bushes:

Bunny who wasn't.

A single gold finch

Lights up the air descending

To the bird feeder.

Mist is in the air;

Soft drops of water descend

On top of my head.

An errant seed puff

Snagged in the tines of the fence

Flutters helplessly.

My thoughts and gray day--

Only the woods are singing.

Oh, my monkey mind.

They bloom so sprightly

At the edge of the forest;

(Don't care they're called "weeds")

On the pine sapling

A cluster of brown needles:

Nature's prophecy.

Two signs guard the drive;

Three more standing next to them--

Screaming, "No Trespassing!"

Forest Barnacles

Lady cardinal waits

Cautiously at the porch end;

Then she flies away. 

Still, gray May morning;

No sunlight for the past week;

And none is in sight.

Tri colored black bird

Takes refuge in the tree limbs;

Becomes immobile.

Woodpecker drum roll

Contrasts with the piccolo

Of a lone bird's tweet.

Into the forest

A garbage can has been dragged--

Very hungry bears!

Cry above the clouds

Unseen as it travels on--

Wild goose flies on.

Three large piles of wood

Stacked outside the studio;

(But winter is over!)

Clinging to the stump

Tiny white mushrooms hold fast:

Forest barnacles.