For a poet to be rendered speechless, well,
that takes something out of the ordinary.

Like the Barred Owl who has chosen to roost
on a tall pine in my yard.

I saw the droppings first and the tell-tale pellets
that told me she was—or had been—there.

What if surrendering was the most true and lion-hearted way of being? I know, I know, I hate it too. I shudder as I write these words being no fan of anything that smacks of giving up... or, let’s be honest here, of the sense of not being in control. But some part of me feels the truth of this.

Today it’s the play of light:
for an instant, just the tops of trees are touched by morning sun.
Churning grey clouds bring into focus the sun-kissed leaves
turning green hues to glowing gold.

Yesterday it was the breathtaking outline of seed heads–
wild grasses swaying in the […]

We are a crafty lot. And when you need to sigh or cry or fall apart there are others here to help you pick up the pieces and begin again. And again. Until we tilt the circumstances or die trying. This beautiful world is worth it. And you, Earth Warrior, are part of that beauty.

Listen to Chris read “Wild Grief”

Start up close and from the back side.
Don’t reach for the long view yet.
It’s too much to ask of your grieving heart.

Look close up, to the silhouette of seed heads on Wild grass.
Stand behind a sunflower, on the back side,
where each extended petal glows with sunlight.

When Wild grief envelops […]

Snow!!!  And lots of it!

We snow lovers have been waiting
with varying degrees of patience…or not.

But the skies have opened.
Winter finally decided to decorate.
She woke from her long slumber
and brushed the snow from her den.

Flakes came down with steady swirling grace,
crystal upon crystal, until there were inches.
And more inches.  And she’s not finished yet.

Deep drifts cover […]

Rain. Rain? In Minnesota?!? In winter??!!??

As puddles deepened, the temperature fell.
Clumps of slush froze in place.
Long stretches of ice now shape the terrain.
Even weeks later,
a simple walk requires full attention and a little luck.
Snow has eluded us, so we look out on ice and
patches of frozen grass.

I’m not sure who likes this weather.
It is equal […]

If you live in a part of the world where,
looking out your window right now,
you see leaves in radiant shades
of crimson and saffron,
then, by any means necessary,
get yourself outside.

Look how sunlight or the muted tones of grey
make each leaf glow as they hold fast
or twist in the wind,
drifting and sailing on updrafts
as they make their […]

We all have our ways.
Things we do, think, say, or feel
that help us get present again
when we’ve drifted far into the murky waters
of worrying about what’s to come or what has been.

For me, it’s often tactile—
breathing in soft fur
working in the garden
splitting wood
paddling, hiking, biking
rich conversation
the call of an owl
the smell of a pine forest.

But […]

There are times of pure joy.
Those moments that fill us up
where nothing else is present
but that sense of light
flowing through and around us.

It’s glorious.
It bolsters and renews our spirits.
Grounding us firmly in the moment.
Reminding us to revel and to savor.

And…it’s rare.
Because most of the time
we hold a complex slurry
of emotions, experiences,
struggles, stories, hopes–
all wrapped in […]