hard lines in the face of a rock violent history forged into beauty

yellow gold sunlit sky filled with low-hanging clouds perched on a highwire

fading twilight my heart sinks more deeply in- to the coming dawn

sky, dirt, and gravel farm roads rolled out like magic carpet

behind me the lake nearly frozen

ice-covered asphalt roads leading back to my youth– peaceful winter days

obsessed with the movement of light through the still dark night

this landscape– dry, seemingly unmoving to my untrained eye

torrential, falling through this vast empty space

photographing stars trailing down like rain power lines buzzing

memories of snow capped mountains and chickadees and you at my side

pure light warmly beaming on green grass

a wash of pastels like a bouquet in the sky pink petals falling

midwinter’s day– watching swans fly overhead my spirit soars

eagles watch ducks and swans foraging on frozen wetland

a voice penetrating the chaos singing me back home

calm morning stepping out into the cold fresh snow

miles of pale gold rolling flint hills tucked into snow covered lakes

first date walking the new year home just after midnight

gossip line what the birds must say about us

last night in the bluffs stars piercing through a soft haze what do I know?

winter sun sets the river keeps flowing silent, frozen beast

beneath the oak tree drinking well water from granddad’s tin cup

my mind like a bird’s wings frozen in mid-flight

cold morning a light, prickly fog kisses my cheeks

foggy frozen mourning

words swallowed whole by night

in stillness let love [not fear] fill the void

fear of falling fear of flying fear of standing still

calm water reflecting only what is right now

each night colder still without you

climbing the lighthouse we saw a few canyon wrens in bushy shadows

clearing the path to love and acceptance one stone at a time

ocean waves float by like clouds, over the lighthouse– blue sky ripples

layers of being– deepest cold blue of winter to peaks of pure white

empty memories fall like snow on the mountaintop

peaceful all alone in a field happy

watching stars falling

low-sky light what stands between the mountains and me

what a view I’d have if this mountain wasn’t here

so light– leaves and needles, ever green floating out to sea

each of us on our own mountains to climb

eight hours to the peak and back turkey buzzards watch

glorious fall– silently returning to the earth

yellow-orange leaf lapping at autumn’s air

this is my heaven: muddy creeks and lofty trees dressed in green and gold

heart of the earth blowing dust and fading enchantment

still water contemplates the beauty of great morning sky

each one of us a hot mass of ego-shit sludging downhill

canyon winds blow and the earth paints the sky shades of purple