NURTURING NATURE’S DANCERS

From the backyard arise
our first fireflies.

Months of magic released, spring’s
annual pool, genes,
from last year’s wintered over
beetle larval leavings.

Now lightning bugs poise
to open summer’s show.

Mates to be sought,
eggs to be wrought.
Their air, warmed and conditioned, just so.


On the day before summer
they danced at dusk.

Now through July,
    seeing it a must,
their daily rise
to a silent frantic
ground finale.


Luminescent genes
egg on the dance
that continues the pool.

DRK
9/13/11

 

THE TROUBLE WITH GETTING OLD

 

Is that not everyone does

Someone is left

With what remains

 

In the brain

 

Unpreventable intrusions

Infusions?

 

Phantoms

Rummaging

Jostling for brain space

 

Is there still room in there?

 

Do these visitors occupy

Empty areas?

 

Or do they create

Maybe dignify

New spaces

That might have

Mouldered away?

 

That is the hope

Welcome, spooks

 

DRK

4/5/2025

 

SOCIAL DISTANCING

 

Thinning air up here

Hair, too

 

Is that you over there?

No need to ask

In a younger year

 

Rare birds, we

Can barely see the herd down there

 

Check out that ladder

Sturdy

Been given some care

“Hey, stranger

May I ask?

Anchored where?”

 

Hope to see you soon

Climb a few more of those annual rungs

 

DRK

4/23/21

 

 

 

SUMMER SOLSTICE FROM THE PORCH

The late afternoon sun sends its rays

Angled high

Down through the leaves

Swirling shadows

That encircle me

A summer sanctuary

 

Serves me

And a passel of birds

I am glad to host

Last minute feeding

Then an announcement 

Of that perfect roost

The angle of the sun lowers

addressing trees higher on the hill

Then climbs those trees

And lifts the day away

A Michigan alpenglow

Dusk, cooling, the wind now gone

The aroma of once freshly cut grass

Now works its way up from the ground

As a more pungent drying hay

Encore

Solar lamps

Pop on before ten

For a moment of cheer

Then gradually dim

Bird chatter, gone

Darkness slips in

Tomorrow’s show begins

With cocktails around four

After Carole, with her hose

Has had a chance to visit

Each new seed and flower

DRK

6/19/20