Category: poetry

Smiling Bear

I went for a walk, and what did I see

But the friendliest bear sitting up in a tree,

And I called out to him, “Hey, Mister Bear,

I was just wonderin’ what you’re doin’ up there.”

He smiled at me as he came climbing down–

But I was long gone ere he got to the ground.

–Photo by me

The Flow

This is where Rapid River flows into Rainy. Beyond that is Canada. Not only is it one of the best fishing spots around (for birds as well as fishermen), there’s a lightness in the air here and a sense of flow permeates everything. It’s a very special place to me, as it makes me feel connected to that flow.

whenever i’m here,

where the two rivers meet,

i stand on the bank

and feel the flow;

i feel the waters flowing

like the blood in my veins,

i feel the air flow around me

like the air in my lungs,

and i feel the life force itself

flowing in me and thru me–

and yet, amid all that,

whenever i’m here,

time seems to stand still.

–photo by me

peliconga

i came upon some pelicans

all dancing on an isle,

and as i watched them thru the trees,

i couldn’t help but smile;

i thought it was the strangest thing

that i would ever see–

until they formed a conga line

and danced into the sea!

–photo by me

Early Birds

I’ll never understand why so many of the migrating birds come back to the northland when there’s still ice on the lakes. This is the time for them to find a mate and start a family, but they can’t build a nest out of ice. The only thing the early bird catches around here is a cold.

However, as a painfully shy kid back in high school, I understand the difficulties of initiating a courtship, and perhaps it’s the same with these early birds.

some fall in love

the moment they meet

while others come down

with a case of cold feet

–Photo by me