Golden Nuggets

 Golden Nuggets

Along a dirt road,
autumn leaves mostly down,
bright yellow poplar leaves
catch our eye.
We stop,
gaze upward
to enjoy
those that quake
on lofty branches
against a backdrop
 of brilliant blue.
A memory unfolds
of a second grade student,
who gently touched my arm
on a walking field trip
in local woods
as he noticed a similar scene.
Often quiet and detached,
something in him
enlivened.
.“Look!” he gasped.
“They’re like golden nuggets
dancing in the sun!”
I can still feel the moment,
revisit our tandem smiles,
from all those years ago.
A delightful golden nugget
for a retired teacher
walking in places
anew.

Sarah Carlson
October 29, 2022

October Swim

 October Swim

A warm sun
speaks of summer,
though Autumn
has surely arrived.
Pleasantly surprised
when the water whispers
in agreement,
 she plunges
all the way in.
As always,
the combination
of buoyancy and freedom
enlivens and invigorates.
Maple leaves catch her eye
as they float gently by –
timely reminders
of detaching,
    shifting,
        realigning
happening deep within
 and all around.
She allows herself to
savor the currents,
rejoice in the ripples,
appreciate the radiance
of change yet again.
The beauty of this October swim
has been held in her heart since then.
And so she writes to capture
such moments
of connection
in poetry –
which she boldly gathers
are, in essence,
her prayers.

Sarah Carlson
October 15, 2022