… “Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” — Gary Snyder
Clackamas River — Oregon
~ inspired in part, by Gary Snyder’s “How Poetry Comes to Me” ~
Peering over cliff’s edge
into the glass-green stream
down river
from the cascading falls
I watch trout
slide in
then out
of the soft break of a bolder’s shadow
across the stone canyon
cut by this persistence of current
an Osprey alights
treetop
a focused sentinel
measuring the timing
and tactic
of his imagined next meal
drawn by this breathtaking canyon
down the steep stone face
through the White Aspen
Douglas Fir
giant Golden Chinquapin
and Oregon Madrone
I descend
keeping a steady pace
bent-knee’d and cautious
with boot tread
and leather palm
I throttle and steer
through an ample incline
of base gravel
I’m followed
by a fine dusted slide
of clattering pebbles
and dry conifer needles
down down
I come
to a stream-side grass patch
then alertly
hop — rock to rock
‘cross the dance of crystal chill stream
to a small clearing
Pearsony Falls — Oregon
in this wilderness canyon
midst the quiet rush
of the Clackamas waters
the hushed murmur
of breeze
through tall Ponderosa bough
and the ambiance
of living breathing nature
I make camp
here to rest
and meditate
in this sacred realm
of the 4 directions
mesmerized by this eden
Vale’s Bend, Clackamas River — Oregon
an unburdening begins
in commune with the 4 elements
with the forested earth
the brisk mountain air
the pure clear waters
of glacial melt
and I
have brought the fire
The Narrows, Clackamas River — Oregon
night falls
star-cast and chill
settled by this night’s fire
I sense spirits approaching
carefully
rip’ling ‘cross the crisp white water
hesitant over the moonlit boulders
staying just outside my campfire’s light
just out of clarity
my muse invites them
to come
to join
inside the ring of light
in my heart
I feel words
whispering like a song
I listen openly
carefully
peacefully surrendering
to the inspiration
for which I’ve come
I breath out
a quiet thank you
then I write
as these words
begin falling to my paper
*
rob kistner © 2022
More poetry of the elements at: dVerse
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