Category Archives: Poetry

Martha Lake,Algoma

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There is a chill

In the early morning air

Mosquitoes and black flies

Scourges of the north country

Lying dormant for now

A mist is rolling

Off the greening forest

Covering the placid waters

Of a small lake

The forest deep in shadow

With a hint of mystery

The cover of darkness

Casting its mirror image

Over the lake surface

 

It is early June

A time of renewal

Through out the north

The birch and poplar

Luminous in new coats

Of green leave cover

Flowering shrubs are scattered

Among the refreshing forest

Spring wildflowers dot the landscape

 

 

The dawning of the day

Is now approaching

The sky becoming enlightened

The sun is peeking

Over the emerging woods

To shed golden light

Among the surrounding trees

Enticed by a mayfly hatch

A rising brook trout

Dimples the lake surface

Leaving a telltale ring

 

As the morning wears on

The sun cresting the horizon

The air is warming

The mist is retreating

Revealing emerald green waters

Of a pristine lake

The mosquitoes are emerging

To bite exposed skin

Of its unprotected victim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Forest No More

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There is a chill

In the pre-dawn air

The forest shrouded in mist

A silence is prevalent

The hills rolling in the distance

Like waves on a lake

Red pine grace the hills

As far as one’s eye can see

A golden light from the rising sun

Penetrates the mist

Nestled among the hills

The glimmering waters sparkle

In the morning glow

Of a beaver pond

Fed by a stream

From the surrounding hill

 

The earth shattering noise

Of diesel engines starting

Springing to life

Disrupts the peaceful forest

The smell of diesel fumes

Assaults one’s nostrils

Black smoke curling upwards

Through the misty trees

 

As the days go by

The land lays bare

Once tree covered hills

Lie naked to the sky

A lone pine here and there

Stands forlorn and bent

 

The once sheltered beaver pond

Vibrant with life, lying vulnerable

To the forces of nature

The stream chocked with debris

No shelter of protective trees

 

A frost covers the bared land

Sparkling with the morning light

Wisps of smoke rise

In the chilled air

From scattered piles

Of wood debris

An ancient forest once stood

Where the land lays bare

A forest no more

 

 

Hurry the Dawn

Hurray Dawn

 

A storm is raging

In the darkness of night

My mind is adrift

In the seas of time

Looking for a port of call

My body is restless

Like the surging winds

My heart is aching

As I lie alone

In my rumpled bed

Hurry the dawn

 

My shoulders are heavy

With the burden of life

My eyes are moist

As the rain patters

On the roof top

The sound of thunder

Echoing in the mountains

The flash of lightning

Illuminates the room

Casting eerie shadows on the walls

Darkness returns as the storm rages

I am a lonely man

Hurry the dawn

 

Rising in the dawn

The storm has abated

To step outside

The patter of rain is faint

On the rustling leaves

Blending with the subdued rustle

The forest whispering to itself

The dawn has come reluctantly

Glowing sullen through

A dark cloudy sky

A beam of light

Pierces the morning sky

Bringing forth a ray of hope

The mind has cleared

The body in repose

The beauty of the land

Hurry the dawn

In Dreams

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I lay my head

Upon my pillow

I close my eyes

In dreams

 

I am walking in a meadow

The grass tall and waving

In the warm summer wind

Oxeye daisies grow among

The field of  green grass

Swaying to the beat

Of the passing wind

Butterflies flutter in the breeze

In dreams

 

In dreams

In dreams

 

A woodland path beckons

To travel endlessly

Traversing through stately maples

The murmur of the wind

Up in the leafy canopy

The rustle of leaves

On the forest floor

In dreams

 

In Dreams

In dreams

 

A gently flowing river

Dressed with cascading willows

Falling rain drops splash

The river’s surface

As I traverse along the river

A never ending river

With no end in sight

In dreams

 

In dreams

In dreams

 

Sitting by a lake

Quartz mountains enshrine

The sapphire waters

Sparkling in the morning light

A gentle breeze ripples

The clear lake waters

In dreams

 

In dreams

In dreams

 

Standing high on a mountain

Ruffled by strong winds

The land covered in mist

Dark clouds tumbling over

The distant mountains

I feel like the eagle

Soaring on the wind

In dreams

 

In dreams

In Dreams

Magic Of Light

A Touch Of Light

 

A cafe in hand

A chair beckons

A mountainous view

Off to the east

Darkening in the coming

Of the night

A refreshing cool breeze

Dispersing the day’s heat

The parrots have returned

To where ever they roost

The white plumed garza

Long since gone

The sky dark and threatening

Clouds a somber grey

A beam of light

Emerging from the clouds

To cast a golden ray

In a moment of glory

Over a rounded hill

As the clouds roll on

The light slowly fades

Darkness descends once again

While I sip my cafe

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Am A Student

 

 

Mountain Clouds

 

I am a student

Of Mother Earth

Of Mother Nature

I have opened my soul

I listen with my ears

I view with my eyes

I smell with my nostrils

To all that is offered

By the wilderness

That we live in

From the grandeur scenes

In the far distance

To The beauty at hand

The singing of birds

The mating sound of frogs

The call of the predator

The smell of the woods

The sound of running water

The murmuring of the wind

In the leafy canopies

Mother Nature has much to offer

If only we notice

A Wee Tree

Sunlit Grass

 

A long uphill slope

The sky in turmoil

Darken clouds rolling on

A touch of color

From the evening sun

The north wind blowing

Over the parched land

A wee tree swaying

Before the surging wind

Standing desolate and forlorn

 

A clump of grass

Knee high in height

Parched and dry

Moving to and fro

Before the billowing wind

A golden evening hue

From a beam of sunlight

Intensifies the glowing grass

The sky continues to darken

The clouds streaming on

As the sun lowers

 

 

 

 

A Vastness

 

A Vast Land

Standing on a hill

The vastness of the land

Spreads before me

My lodging but a dot

On the large scale of things

A beam of light

From the setting sun

Caresses the sun burnt hills

I stand in awe

With the hills unfolding

Before my squinting eyes

The feel of the breeze

Freshening on my face

A cool welcome from

The heat of the day

A common experience

In the mountainous country

 

Far in the distance

On an open hillside

Movement can be spotted

It is the ganado cresting

A brown splotched rise

Herded home by trailing young boys

Mere dots in the fading light

 

 

It is also a sign

That I too must leave

To follow the winding trail

Down the sloping hill

Before darkness engulfs me

The trail takes a diagonal

Through a field of maize

The stalks standing forlorn

In the evening half light

A fence line appears ahead

The trail running parallel

The descent is quick

An adobe home appears

Soon lost in the dimness

 

The Rio Trentino materializes

Hopping from rock to rock

The shallow river is crossed

The road beckons ahead

A patch of red roof

Appears in the near distance

Nestled on a sloping hill

A place to rest

Ones weary legs

A Whimsical Isle

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A whimsical isle offshore

Evergreens crowd the center

Struggling to maintain hold

Among the worn rocks

The trees are dwarfed

With inadequacy of food

Time and time again

The ravages of Lake Superior

Overwhelm the tiny island

After each bout of ferocity

The little trees still stand

A testament of strength

To withstand the brutality

Of the unforgiving waters

 

With a lowering sun

The water is calm

A rare moment it is

The trees stand bold

In the evening solitude

White clouds flirting

Across the blue sky

Reflecting upon the water

The horizon turning pink

From the sun’s glow

 

The shadows are creeping

Over the reposing land

Darkness has now descended

The isle mere silhouette

Upon the placid waters

The sky is clearing

The stars luminous in the night sky

The moon casts a silver glow

Over the diminutive isle

There is a sense

Of quietude and peace

Along the rugged shoreline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Granada

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Been riding on the Chicken buses all day
Arrived in Granada hot and dry
Took to the streets
Looking for a hotel
Charming colonial colored buildings
Boldly painted in splashes
Of red, green and yellow
Line the narrow streets
The red tiled roofs
Overhang the streets
There is an air
Of excitement and energy
The chaotic open air market
Bustles with activity

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A carved wooden door beckons
An attractive young lady
Greets and invites me in
Tis the Hotel Casa Del Consulado
Of old world charm and warmth
With a room secured
A refreshing shower
The afternoon wearing on
It is time to hit the street
I make my way
To the Granada Central Park

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Strolling along the bustling street
With one way traffic
An overhanging balcony beckons
As I stood there gazing
I pictured a beautiful young woman
Dressed in her finery
Hair glistening in the evening light
A sparkle of a tear
As a young man below
Serenades with his guitar
Expressing his true love
The blast of a car’s horn
Disturbs my thoughts
I continued along cobblestone streets

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The Parque Central materializes
The shady benches and green grass
Beckons a weary traveler
By night a haven for cuddling lovers
Vendors line the streets
Selling their wares and food
Carriages line Parque Central

A cafe beckons to the right
Tables on the terrace
Provide welcome shade
From the mid afternoon sun
Seated at a table
With a cup of cafe
Observing the busy street life
Going on before me

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The luminous Cathedral of Granada
Looms to the east
A bright yellow church
Of neoclassical design
Three red roofed domes
Rise to the sky
As I sipped my café
Admiring the beautiful architecture
Of the Granada Cathedral
The sun is descending
The air is cooling

With the evening in full swing
It is time to enjoy
The nightlife of Calle La Calzada
A crowded cobbled street
Lined on both sides
With bars and restaurants

Sitting down to dinner
With the stars overhead
It is a joy to watch
The musicians and dancers
The street vendors hawking
Their various wares table side
A waiter approaches smiling
To offer me a menu
I order Gallopinto with fried plantains
To quench my thirst
While waiting for the meal
I ordered a Toña lager

As I sipped my beer
The sounds of the street
Flowed and ebbed around me
The meal soon arrived
Along with a young vendor
His wares on display
I inquired about a shark tooth necklace
To my delight he produced.
Haggling over the price
We both came to an agreement
I became a proud owner
Of a shark tooth necklace
To wear on my neck

The hour was getting late
It is time to retire
Making my way through
The less crowded streets
I slipped through the entrance
Of Hotel Casa Del Consulado_MG_0395