Natural Therapy (Or Something Like That)

When I take a stroll through nature

Or simply take time to bask in it

I feel as though the breath I've been holding

Of work, family drama, financial worries

Anxiety, depression, the state of the world

Can finally be released

Nature demands nothing more

Than your respect for it's existence

It has no unrealistic expectations

It doesn't tell you who to vote for

Or what bias and beliefs to have

No unrealistic beauty standards to uphold

It doesn't tell you you're fat, ugly, or worthless

It reminds you to love

It reminds you to care

It reminds you that your existence

Can also bring beauty to the world

It Rained at the Campout

It rained at the campout

It had been overcast all day

"Maybe that's why the others left," said A.

"Could be," said K.

"But we're not quitters," said me.

We took shelter under our canopy

It thundered and M didn't like it.

We told her it was Thor

And that seemed to help.

The rain poured down

Through pine needle boughs.

Plip, plip, plip on our canopy

The smell of rain-soaked earth.

Tat, tat, tat, tat, tat

Frozen pebbles against the fabric

Take their entrance and bows

In a matter of seconds

Plip, plip, plip, stop

More thunder rumbles

"I'm ready for a nap," says K.

"Me too," says A.

"Communal naptime!" says Me.

So we retire to the tent.

It rained at the campout,

But we're not quitters.

Energy of Nature

 If I had a place

Where I could go

To sit in the energy of nature

Oh, what joy that would bring

Nature's Lights (Hour 24)

Sun is the brightest

Great, looming in the sky
Heating the world
Igniting the morning
Of each new day

Moon comes next
Sometimes here, sometimes not
It's white glow a comfort
To weary travelers
Braving the night

Stars are third
Their small twinkling
Sometimes dimmed
By the lights
Of man

Next will be lightning
Great flashes in the sky
Followed by fire
Dancing upon the logs
Warming my hands, body, heart

Whelm (Hour 23)

To engulf disastrously;

To turn upside down;
A middle ground
Between "overwhelmed"
And "underwhelmed"

The Greek god Poseidon
Attempted to whelm
The ship of Odysseus
After the Ithacan king
Wounded his one-eyed offspring

But the ship survived
Though it's Captain was left
Overwhelmed by the loss
Of all but forty-three
Of his men

The underwhelming loyalty
Of Eurylochus, second in command
Brought mutiny to the king
And in the end
The deaths of all his remaining men

Astronomy Lab (Hour 22)

It's 8:00 on an autumn night

My classmates and I are gathered
Listening as our professor
Tells of constellations and heavenly lights

There is no moon tonight
Just a sky filled with stars
The professor's green laser
Pointing as he speaks

How lucky I feel to be here
Where a five minute drive
Is far enough
To see the pure night sky

Pigeon's Nest (Hour 21)

I woke one morning to find

On my third floor balcony
A pile of pine needles
Two eggs nestled inside

Days passed and we watched
Waiting for the eggs to hatch
Finally greeted by the sight
Of tiny baby pigeons