The Rhythms Of Wandering

Twilight scouting out another quiet place

Untying our knotted hiking laces

Calling of the morning birds

Arising slowly amid a trickling peace

Well-used wool sweater, safe and warm

Our old dog, thick and furly

Quiet Fall mornings strung like amber beads

The warm smell of crusty new bread baking

Simple joy of your soft brown eyes

Breathing gently through restful sleep

Catching sight of forest dwellers

Changing tools and rhythms to make them better

Sloughing off our unused burdens

Sensing the complicated in the simple

Sleeping deeply in big tree shadows

Hearing small creek again as we awaken

Freed at last of choking specialization

Coming slowly together with the dawn,

Neither at work nor on vacation

Traveling widely yet always home

Mending socks and fixing breakdowns

Finding water and planning meals

Picking up yet another’s trash

Retiring early, safe in the darkness

Drying happily in a sunny breeze

Looking forward to our own cooking

Watching bees work on autumn flowers

Lingering where we really like it

Sipping wine and making music

Vagabond Koans (2)

A Sierra Weekend

struck me as quite amazing

almost made me stop and think

took that moment between two breaths

to come back to good common sense

………

under strict orders they toiled thru the days

driven on by critical deadlines

lives anxious with meaning, lay awake at night

moving holes from one spot to another

………

lovely turnout with short trail to the overlook

stepping free of the vehicular cocoon

attaining the uplifting vista point without a real effort

satori moment digitally marked and the soft drink can

………

in battered cars they roam in old and dirty clothes

living off the fruitful grace of the land

shitting where they sleep and moving on again

ugly, old and noisy children, left out on their own

………

full of piss and vinegar they come

loudly announcing a strong and musky presence

breaking branches and dropping rocks

young men stride the forest like your average mall

………

stream that cut rock a million years

spoke to me for just one moment

telling me the entire story

and I could merely sigh in wonder

………

Far away even before they leave

Recreation quickly once more forgotten

Blur of packing and fast driving

On an almost Monday, once again

………

We moved between sunlight and shadow

the river changing sides

While another afternoon gave way

As that autumn passed on by

Quietly Late Last October

Autumn paused just for a moment amidst the golden sunshine

Held its breath and listened before quickly disappearing

The warmth of those late October afternoons was far sweeter

Knowing well how cold rains would fill the dark days to follow

After the salmon had spawned and little remained for the bears

There came a subtle pause as their noses twitched in that pure air

With waterfowl departing and the streams low and very clear

Dying leaves began their gentle drifting down, to fertilize the ground

Echoes also grew fuller with the lengthening of our shadows

The morning sun greeted us later and the stars came out so soon

The harvest moon looked warm but we reached for our sweaters

The hunters finished their epic drinking bouts and returned to their jobs

Quietly late October removed her costume and set aside her lovely jewelry

Slowly revealing a deeper and more somber aspect of her beauty

Silence filled the early mornings until the remaining birds shook off the frost

The sky grew deep and blue awaiting the first of many storms to come

Dust motes gathered to float one more time before falling with the rains

The fingers of the boys grew cold as they pedaled off upon old bikes

Rivers thirsted for the many long and quenching, cleansing winter rains

Craggy peaks awaited the deep, white blankets of their heavy snows

In sunlight and shadow she paused as a faded memory was awakened

The true smell of wool and a crackling dry campfire sustained him now

The raucous crowds of summer fled with the warmer weather

And that good silence flowed off into the void again, for minutes at a time