cell phone/nature poem for the first day of spring

prologue

 

after work

i'm inclined to sit

or even nap

but i cannot resist

this beautiful afternoon

the first day of spring

 

*****

 

cell phone/nature poem for the first day of spring

 

walking down the hill

through the forest

toward the river

mid-march and

i'm mesmerized by

everything-is-brown

mud beneath my feet

decaying oak leaves

intertwining branches

of standing and fallen

trees and shrubs

the greenish-brown

flow of the river

all browns against the

bright blue sky

 

 

 

i default to

the-modern-trap

taking photographs

i stop and consider

my willingness

to let technology

intrude on my walk

to look at things

through a phone/camera

 

but I want to

remember the

seemingly stoic seagull

being pulled nonchalantly

by the swift river current

she does not seem to mind

 

so i start

tapping out

notes & phrases

on my phone

it is a contradiction

i am aware

of contradictions

i am full of them

 

but still

 

what i hear is…

crows caw-caw-cawing

trees creaking as

they bend with the wind

the unmistakable sound

of a woodpecker

the bark of a dog

from somewhere above

i leave the main path

drawing closer to

the soothing sound

of the river flowing and

bubbling briskly

over large stones

 

 

 

i stand among

dried out grasses

cool hands

breeze on my cheeks

hair blowing

i look around me

and across the river

i am alone

i sit down and just

listen to the water

close my eyes

in the wild beauty

of this wonderful

and ordinary place

when i stand up

and turn to walk

back to the main path

i am surprised to see a

young man fishing

on the same side

of the river

and not too far away

 

returning to the path

there is a makeshift

walkway boardwalk

covering muddy areas

my fluorescent-hued

running shoes

discordant on the planks

another contradiction

my colorful feet

squishing in the muddy path

crunching on dead leaves or

wood chips or gravel paths

 

as i finish my walk

i spot across the river

a possible kindred spirit

she stands still

watching the river

 

i walk up to

the park above where

people walk dogs

young men occupy

the basketball courts

a couple of families

enjoy the playground

 

i am grateful

for the gifts of

the sunshine and the warmth

the beauty and the life

of this afternoon

the first day of spring

 

*****

 

epilogue

 

I’ve been feeling a bit sorry for myself lately (and envious) as I hear about people’s warm weather or exotic or exciting vacations.  When I start feeling sorry for myself, it's always a sign that I’ve not been appreciating enough the ordinary gifts of life and, in fact, the gift of life itself. 

 

An article my cousin sent me yesterday (thanks, Lori) was a good reminder and inspired this post as well.  See that article here: How to Live life with Fantastic Aliveness:Remembering Amy Krouse Rosenthal.