Forest
In the spot where you once played, I watch three bears wander by, a mother and two cubs
You used to climb the vines there, and swing on them like a monkey, hopping through the woods as if a little sprite, so long ago, but also just yesterday
Would mother bear mourn the loss of her babe as I mourn you
Would she suffer in the absence of her cub
Would she question why, seek answers, ponder, ponder, always ponder
Of course not, for she is not blessed with what I have, the knowledge, the gift of the human mind
She just is, she moves with such a gentle grace and beauty, I can only admire her from afar, jealous of her simple life and pure existence
Are you there, too

Sky
The dashing specs of light amaze me with their splendor
One after another they flash across the night sky in some cosmic light show
I like to think it is for me, but of course it is not
I am just a tiny spec in the ocean of sky, watching from afar, yet from within the same vastness that I watch, as in a mirror
How can I not be humbled, how can I not be grateful, how can I not sit in awe and smile at it all
Yet every smile still brings a tear, for you are missing this too
Can you see me now

Flame
I bring my deepest sorrows and my greatest joys to the fire, and it takes them all in, regardless, no judgment, no comment, no blame
With its steady fury it witnesses all, it burns away the pain, it celebrates the ecstasy that is this life
It makes me feel vulnerable in its mighty presence, yet I can control it , another gift of being human
It is laden with memories of tears, of anguish, of loneliness, of marshmallows, the laughter of children, and fireworks on the beach
It is all there in the flicker, in the blast of heat, in the consumption of all there is
I can only watch it , mesmerized, transfixed, in awe of its simple beauty and power
Will I join you someday in these flames

Ocean
The waves are relentless, unending and certain, so certain
They roll again and again onto the sandy beach before me, always pounding with synchronous, effortless ease
They do not pause, do not hesitate, do not doubt their own purpose
They just are, forever, always, unending
Perhaps this is what they can teach me, to just be
There life began, and there life will ultimately end, but always with mercy, with a gentle ease the waves roll in
Washing away the day before, beginning anew, with every tide a rebirth, another chance comes from what is swept out to sea, another day begins on the ruins of what came before
You are with me still

Cape Cod, 2010