Stillness, Silence
stillness, silence
swaying willow limbs
splinters
the morning fog
I have a beautiful and ancient birch willow tree in my front yard. I cannot begin to describe the peace of mind this fickle, but stoic tree brings me, every time I open my front door. Regardless of the season, she is a beauty. But on a foggy winter morning and laden with hoary frost; she simply sparkles and sings with vibrato, of course, aided by a breeze. Yet somehow, with all that action, she also transmits stillness and an inner silence. The irony of a natural beauty.
Today's Temptation
to lay silently
drift in and out of dreams
today’s temptation
Taoist philosophy holds to the statement that the master does nothing. Always the temptation. To take the day off, to lay back and gaze upon the sky, and if the body and mind allow, drift off to dreams. A masterful day spent, indeed.
Joy Caught Up
has not stopped
but slowed
blurs now solid
joy ... caught up
Sometimes it is the moments that come right after the thrill that contains the true joy, relived in our patchwork of memories.
Anticipation of a Fall
springs coiled
anticipation of a fall
into the breeze
Is there any natural sound more delightful than the crunch of Autumn leaves on a sunny fall day? The crinkle cuts are made all the more delightful when in response to some woodland's tootsies, a squirrel or rabbit. Add a just a light breeze and the sublime is reached. Says I, anyways
Earthlings Abide
red harvest moon
Earthlings abide
lunar tides
stop and observe
We are, hopefully, still a few months from harvest and Autumn, but the Moon does not need to wait for the season to turn to get big, bold, golden or rosy. Luna does tend to steal the show up in these Northern parts, taking on unexpected hues and showing her meteor-chiseled semblance a little clearer than in the smog-ridden cities. Our dearest satellite offers so many visual delights. It is not the just the keeper of tides.
An Orb Rises
an orb rises
pressure mounts; currents aired
nature speaks her tongue
in whispers and gales
Earth and Cosmos
resolve and evolve
The universe is immense enough to contain all and yet small enough to fit in your mind. All of it turning on gravity's wheel and floating on a thought.
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Words and Poetry are my own.
Images result from a collaboration between myself and AI, Grok. Please consider them visual haiku as they are meant to contain metaphorical meaning. Concepts are mine and rendering is AI. Stillness, Silence, Today's Temptation, Joy Caught Up, Anticipation of a Fall, Earthlings Abide, and an Orb Rises were all first and most recently published on the X, social media platform, in the month of June, 2025. Looking for more extended material, consider purchasing one of my books. All the titles below are available in paperback or digital through amazon and your local libraries and bookstores. Click on any title to further explore and support my writing.