The Persistence of Snow

Christmas snow falls heavily
Big flakes
The dog running wildly across the lower field
The snow covering old snow
Covering trees in lace, again
The silence of snow pervasive
The scent of snow intoxicating

We walk, the dog following, chasing, running ahead
Alive in the moment of utter delight
We hear our breathing
Low words murmured in the church the snow creates
Simple joy in watching the flakes spiral down

Driving away the snow crunches under the tires

Weeks pass
The snow persists outside my classroom door
Reminding me of the ephemeral the momentary existance

Temperatures rise
The snow persists, but diminishes in the afternoon sun
Children running on the bare playground
California persistent in their psyche 
They come to school wearing shorts and light jackets 
In nineteen degree temperatures

The snow persists
A daily reminder that it is January
No matter the sunny afternoon
Saying to the trees that white will be worn again

Noodles on St. Patrick's Day

Noodles in the Sac!

The Tree of Life

The air is cooler now in the waning days of summer

I pull the chambray shirt around me as sun changes to shade along the trail

The leaves of the trees are still green

The birds calling out in the bright morning sun

But the underbrush, once lush, is now faded

Dusty, waiting, leaves already falling

The scent of transition

The trail follows a riverbed of scattered rocks

Then back into the trees

Crossing a slough I step into the water

Cold and cloudy, no longer clear and flowing

It is waiting, too

Dew covered grass keeps my legs wet as I climb the opposite bank

A hawk takes wing, suddenly

The dog giving useless joyful chase

Now the river is close

The raucous sound of geese gets louder

The trail breaks into the open

The river sparkling, flowing, rumbling over rocks

Geese cover an exposed area of rocks in the center of the river

Incessant in their conversation, one lone great white egret sits in their midst, silent hunched

The dog swims and I wade, the sun warmer now

I soak my chambray shirt in the cold water and put it on, dripping

It is my insurance against the heat as we start back

Again playing cat and mouse with the sun and shade

Entering the last, the longest, bit of woods along the trail

We pause at a volunteer tree, a fruit tree of happenstance, revered on other continents

Non-native, out of place, it's broad deep green scalloped leaves flowing out of deeper shade

Seeking sun, the branches of the fig tree reach out heavy with fruit turning purple

I reach up and eat its sweet offering 

In the treetops over my left shoulder the last moon of summer gives her assent as I plunder

The tree of life

I Closed My Eyes

I dreamt of an America in 2021

She was beautiful and her arms overflowed with the bounty of the land

Snowcapped mountains in Alaska to beaches in the Florida Keys

Lobstermen bringing in the catch in Maine to condors soaring over the Grand Canyon

Her heart was full to overflowing with the prosperity of her people

In cities and towns and farms those people went about the business of the day

They asked about the uncle's illness, how was the fishing trip, and how is your daughter liking kindergarten

The air was fresh on a September morning and the rivers clear

People went to work and built things that others needed

The pay collected flowed back and helped the downtrodden and the ill

Bringing a smile to the lips of our beautiful goddess that guards the Golden Door, her light still beckoning

People worshipped or not but understood the right and revered its preservation lest we all be denied

Not everyone agreed, but all respected the will of the people as the ultimate form of governance

Those elected, as well, looked ever to their constituents for guidance and showed the door to those who would have them stray into doing harm to this nation

Grandparents ran up to the boarding gates of airports to swing grandchildren in the air when they came to visit, walking unhindered through the concourses

The privacy of the conversation on a cell phone between a wife and a soldier serving in a faraway land was sacrosanct as was the video of the new niece sent to the aunt

As a nation, there were still tough decisions to make but there was no venom as we were all Americans and all loved this country equally and without reserve

And no one wanted, ever, to go back to the dark days of 2011

I dreamt of an America in 2021

In dedication to Woody Guthrie, as this is still our land.

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The saga of the invisible eagles continues... ;)