Pilgrimage Statistics
Consecutive Days Riding: 135 Consecutive Days Blogging: 117
Today’s Mileage: 5 Total Trip Mileage: 948
It has been a busy day here at the University. I taught three classes, finished a letter to my son who is in Army boot camp, and delivered copies of my Mandala research proposal to the Art faculty. I settled down to write my blog for today and decided to take a walk and share my thoughts with you. My thoughts dwelled on the nature scene surrounding me on this chilly winter day. My words formed a series of poems. Here they are for your enjoyment:
Cycles
Sheets o f heavy gray clouds
Darken near the horizon
The ground and pavement
Bears the residue of an earlier rain
The winter air absorbs my breath
Adding to the chilly haze
Trees and bushes shiver in a gentle breeze
Bare of any protective foliage
But there are signs of what is to come
With lengthening days and heightened sunlight
Spring
Robins seeking worms
At the edge of water puddles
A chorus of bird calls
Fill the treetops circling overhead
Poking up through a mat of fallen leaves
Bright green blades of the daffodils
And the surest sign of all
A pair of trees sheltered between two buildings
Wrapped with rows of soft red buds
and precious pink blossoms
Cycles
Some fast enough to see
Others slow enough to sense
****
Costs and Joys
My nose
And ears
Grow faintly numb
My lungs
Rejoice with each
Fresh chilled breath
****
Near the end of the walk
The bird chorus builds
To a roar
As if they call out in joy
At the sight of the sun
The sun – the sun
Breaking through the gray
****
Always With the Questions
Are all squirrels hyperactive?
Or have they found
some secret caffeine source?
Or does this squirrel really believe
I’d want his soggy nut?
****
Towards the end of my walk I heard the sounds of someone approaching from the rear. It was an old colleague long ago retired on his brisk daily walk. I joined him for a short distance exchanging pleasantries and news. He continued on following the parameter of the campus, I turned toward the looming brick structures, toward my office and a letter and a blog. Sometimes friendships are like memories, diminished to a faint glow, residue of an earlier time!
Have a wonderful day I hope you too are visited by images of Spring and words that jigsaw into poems!
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