Wildcat Canyon
The poets have been observing the elements this past Winter. First was water, overflowing; then fire, friend and foe; and finally air, above it all. Now we come back to Earth. The water's deeps are mysterious, unknown; the sky's expanse beyond our ken; and fire fascinates us and repels us at the same time. But the Earth is our home, where we live, work and play. Earth is the element we know intimately. So often we ignore her, engage in damaging practices, take her for granted. But at the end of the day, it is Earth to which we turn, where we seek solace and comfort. This Spring, go out and find her, hike in the hills, sit in the crook of a tree, relax in the yard and watch the squirrels play, smell the sweet blossoms in the garden, listen to the song of Spring and revel in Earth, our mother, our home.
| Song to Spring Hills are green Mockingbirds sing Crow on the wing It is Spring. Sky is blue Clouds chased away Sun here to stay Spring anew. Blue jays nest And mourning dove Hawk soars above And I rest. Spring is here My heart is glad No longer sad You are near. Hills are green I am free Free just to be It is Spring. -MW As Mother's Day nears I feel the tears, Wish you were here, Mother, dear. I think how just like the Earth You gave us birth, Well-nourished and fed Our progress you led. Raised us from seed, Met our every need, Helped us grow roots strong, Taught us right from wrong. Gave us a stem to stand tall Get up from every fall, Helped us grow leaves to feed And helped us succeed. Until now, fully grown. We lead lives of our own, Secure in the power Of our mother's love flower. -MW For the kids, in honor of Earth Day: This is the Earth. This is the seed lying in the Earth. This is the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. This is the stem that grew from the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. These are the leaves that grew on the stem that grew from the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. This is the water that goes into the leaf delivered by the stem that grew from the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. This is the leaf that makes the food using the water that goes into the leaf delivered by the stem that grew from the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. This is the bud that formed using the food made by the leaf that uses the water from the stem that grew from the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. This is the flower that blooms from the bud that formed using the food made by the leaf that used the water from the stem that grew from the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. This is the bee that visits the flower that blooms from the bud that formed using the food made by the leaf that used the water brought by the stem that grew from the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. This is the pollen carried by the bee that visits the flower that blooms from the bud that formed using the food made by the leaf that used the water brought by the stem that grew from the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. This is the seed formed from the pollen carried to the egg by the bee that visited the flower that bloomed from the bud that formed using the food made by the leaf that used the water brought by the stem that grew from the sprout that grew from the seed that lay in the Earth. This is the wind that blew the seed down To the Earth. -MW The Garden Song by David Mallett the epitome of a song for gardeners Inch by inch, row by row, Gonna make this garden grow, All it takes is a rake and a hoe And a piece of fertile ground. Inch by inch, row by row, Someone bless these seeds I sow, Someone warm them from below 'Till the rain comes tumbling' down. Pullin' weeds, pickin' stones, We are made of dreams and bones, Feel the need to grow my own, For the time is near at hand. Grain for grain, sun and rain, We are part of Nature's chain, Tune my body and my brain To the music of the land. Plant your rows straight and long, Temper them with prayer and song, Mother Earth will make you strong If you give her love and care. An old crow watching hungrily From his perch in yonder tree. In my garden I'm as free As that feathered thief up there. | A Reminder Life is a precious miracle, Live it fully. Love is a blessed bond, Nurture it warmly. Adversity is a challenge, Meet it boldly, Death is a final act, Accept it calmly. Vain Questions Whence, whither, why? The mysteries of life! We'll never cease to ask And we'll never know. When All Else Fails Let your mind wade naked up a stream, Walk barefoot over fields and through forest, And skim unburdened over rivers and lakes, Dross you'll shed and be rejuvenated, And fractured life will be a whole again. Nature can mend and heal when all else fails! A Paean to Life All Life should be treasured! This I long did doubt. Years it took and growth Before my mind and heart Were sage enough to think so. All life's an awesome miracle And every living thing Reflects that glow and wonder That's beyond all ken, That comes and goes arcanely. That there are animals, Plants, bacteria, Life forms of every ilk, In endless variety, Cannot but awe and rapture! That water, air and earth Teem with complex life, That life adapts, evolves And thereby stays alive, Cannot but awe and humble! That humans can feel and think And replicate themselves, That birds can sing and fly, Elephants mate and mourn, Cannot but awe and puzzle! That spiders spin silk webs To catch their wary fare, That chickens lay their eggs And eggs bring forth their chicks, Cannot but awe and amaze! That flowers blush and smell And bless the earth with seeds, That acorns will be oaks And trees become a forest, Cannot but awe and silence! We cannot but stand in awe Of life's many mysteries. Describe we can and do, Know we never will, But treasure life we can and should! -JM Pensive Pauses by JM Life is no less a wondrous agony than it is an agonizing wonder. But for its many suns, the universe would be one vast black hole. We know there is an earth and wish there were a heaven. Earth's our fact and heaven's our fancy. Píccola weighs in: When it is warm and sunny I like to go out the door In the garden to explore.  But when it is cloudy and cold, I stay in my nest to have a rest.  |
As always, comments welcome. Let us know if you'd like to be put on the mailing list. Once a month postings usually.