Lonely Winery

A weathered farmer in Missoula, Montana

Is hand-picking wine grapes 

In late October

As the auburn sun, with only subtle traces

Of the hot summer months

Is retreating from

What will slowly become

November

Nature Speaking

I breathe deep
and let
the night stars
whisper rest
to me.
The ocean crashes
in this dark, somber place,
causing my fears
to subside
and fade.
I meditate on
the beautiful lessons
that are told
by the trees
all around.
What quietness
and rest
in this place
have I found.

The Music that the Ocean Makes

Someday soon we'll say goodbye
to our hurried, worried lives.
We'll drive till we find
indigo waves
beneath a tangerine sky.
And I can't wait
to simply stay up late
and listen to the music
that the ocean makes
with you.

Jacob's Falls

 

There is a place I fondly recall
known as Jacobs Falls
in Upper Peninsula Michigan.
It’s where I go in my mind
every now and then.
It is a fun, hour long hike,
and you can enjoy fresh-picked
red raspberries
on your way up.
And if you get hot
you can swim in the icy, shallow water
that flows into the translucent Lake Superior.
I remember doing just that
with my family a couple summers ago.
And just near the base of the falls
is a little Bakery run by Orthodox monks
called the Jampot,
where they make organic jam
and the best cookies I’ve ever eaten.
I vividly recall
riding our bikes to Jacobs Falls.
It took about a half hour.
Yet I still go there in my mind
every now and then.

Untamed

I would love to throw caution to the wind,
letting the adventures begin,
with a healthy mix
of water, sun and sin.
This holy way
can be free of strife,
but also free of risk and change,
and sometimes, life.

Do you ever want to cut the bars
to this cage?
Do you ever want to express
your inner rage?
Face danger in the wild...
Climb a mountain...
Make a discovery...
Fall in love...

Ah but maybe this is a fantasy.
All of the maps have been printed,
all of the islands and species discovered,
and our destiny
boils down to a number
provided by Social Security.

But I won't buy it
as I'm packing my bags.
Nature can not be tamed,
and neither will this man.


'Do not be over-righteous, neither be over-wise. Why destroy yourself? Do not be over-wicked, and do not be a fool. Why die before your time?' Ecclesiastes 7:16-17 (New International Version)

Lost on Purpose

We are in a beautiful forest,
where it's easy to breathe.
After just one deep breath
I feel a renewed sense of peace.
And so I continue
to simply breathe deep,
allowing the fresh air and sun
to wash over me.
There is a waterfall nearby
and we go for a swim.
The water is deep
and I feel the cold wind.
But the water relaxes the muscles in my back
as I dive down
and look around.
Sunlight splashes through the surface
in radiant colors,
and I hear relaxing sounds.
I return to the surface,
and we continue to walk
smiling and laughing.
Indeed,
when my friends and I
find the time,
we just love getting lost.

I Have Wandered Too Far

I have wandered too far 
down this brown, winding path.
Covered in wood chips
and large stones,
and surrounded by vibrant,
green growing grass.

Evergreen

A tree.
Green and prickly.
Smelling fresh all year round.
Fallen needles and pine-cones pave
The ground.

Last May

When I dream I dream of you
And the time we spent last May
Sadly, dreaming is all I can do
When I dream I dream of you
Endless hills we passed through
Nature was an inviting bouquet
When I dream I dream of you
And the time we spent last May

Amethyst Dreams

Colors of wine and milk,
in this flower bed of silk.
A scent reminiscent of honey,
colors of wine and milk.
I sipped your wine in pastures green,
Made drunk by amethyst dreams.
Colors of wine and milk,
in this flower bed of silk.