Tenacity

 It's been a bit hard to write lately. I saw this along the road on a recent bike ride and stopped to observe it for a while.These words sort of surprised me as they emerged. I haven't written a rhyming poem in a while, but somehow this is what needed to come. 

Tenacity

Light, shadows,
structures made to climb.
Seedling, sapling,
trunk that intertwines.
Growth, decay
existing in a place.
One supports the other,
no need to erase.
If one stops to notice
there is a budding trust
in the tenacity of nature
that does include us.

Sarah Carlson
November 25, 2024

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 5:31 AM

 Wednesday, Nov. 6, 5:31 AM

I hear the news,
allow my emotions,
know I need to be outside.
I sit in my yard,
slip off my shoes,
feel the cool, dewy grass
beneath my feet.
All is calm and still
as the sky slowly lightens,
low clouds carry a soft hue.
I breathe
through it all
right down to my toes.
My breath  condenses
in the chilly air
as cardinals and juncos,
chickadees and nuthatches
begin to chatter.
The branches of a favorite tree
weave intricate patterns
in the morning sky,
their complexities somehow comforting
I anchor to hope and resilience and love,
knowing these have served me well
in confusing, conflicting times
along the way.
Sun is rising,
birds are singing,
my breath is steady and true.
In so many ways all is not well,
and in other ways
it genuinely is.
How fortunate we are that
diverse truths can coexist

        With love,
Sarah Carlson

That Which is So Free

 That Which is So Free

Things circle ‘round,
shift along the way,
provide opportunity to
see and feel anew.
I used to think that I
get in the way of my own healing,
even as I recognize that hope
has been ever present in my being.
The intermingling of self-doubt and resilience
has actually been a source
 of helpful confusion.
Like cairns that lead the way
 through clouds and congestion
to openness and new vistas.
Now I recognize
that it’s the effects of the smothering
from way back
that have been tripping me up.
As they wither and dissipate,
  breath, light,
truth, and love
widen so very freely -
simply there to enjoy, embrace,
and share.
From Aurora filling the sky with pulsating hues,
to joy-filled warmth of a cherished child,
to subtle softness of
a heart-shaped lichen on a mountain trail,
so do the truth of being,
the sparkle of love,
 the breath of life
undulate within and without - always.
Even as I write this, I feel my breath
 reach softly into my heart,
befriend my emotions,
and gently ground me
as I wait for words
that might capture
that which is fluent and free.

Sarah Carlson
November 3, 2024