Family and Nature Poetry from Year of The Poet (Vol 8)
Featured in The Year of the Poet August, 2014 Volume 8.
Turtle Trail
Three turtle tails / stirring the water / as they sun themselves / on a log near the shore
Slowly, cautiously / ready to dive / a moment’s notice / a shadow from over head / swirling sounds of gravel / crunching / a child’s voice soaring into the air
They will leave this place / in fear where / they have sought / the light and warmth of life / sunning themselves / for a time
Searching out rays of sunshine / warm on their hard shells / soft neck turtles / know how to live / the moment / the sought after sun / the cool safe darkness / water at the marsh’s edge
I think about my edges / as I bicycle by / stopping to peer / into the water / where they go / dropping off the edge / into another familiar experience
Twins Times Two at Fifty-Six
You see me / but you don’t know / I am not the grandmother
“Can I sit on your lap.” / the five year old looks at me / as adorable as her mother / her twin brother / wants the other knee / as we three peer at black and white lines / Frozen drawings
You see / I have something / their mother doesn’t / a printer attached to my computer /’ kids are so resilient / here we are two weeks after / meeting / a picture printed earlier / colored beautifully / by an eight year old / flutters on my fridge / a summer breeze / blowing through the window
How old are you / the five year old waiting / for a picture to print / fifty-six / that is not as old as my great grandma / she is ninety-two
Some would say / I am having a family backwards / my younger sister has three grandchildren / just a little younger than these
Still at I am blending / into this family / is she going to be our step mom / the eight year old asks / they are told Mommy has a girlfriend.
More questions: / before you moved here, / did you know our mom came with kids? / and I hope there are many more / as I take a place in this family
Osprey
Where is the osprey nest / I seek a passerby / intent on seeing /this magnificent bird / as I bicycle
Across the country / many birds seen / with friends I search / sky, water, trees / rewarded by a glimpse / life free to soar
Bridges, lofty places / the Coeur D’Alene Trail / home to another osprey / blue herons, red winged black birds / deep blue and white tree swallows / weaving a journey home
A third osprey spreads it’s wings / taking flight as my canoe nears her nest / thrilling love and children / her calls protecting family / swooping, gliding, drawing us away / on our own journey / of love and beauty and connection
Originally published in The Year of The Poet (Vol 8) at http://www.innerchildpress.com/the-year-of-the-poet.php on August 1, 2014.
