I am blessed to live in a place surrounded by parks and preserves. Nature is all around me. There are trails and hills and rivers; wildlife is at my fingertips. Hawks circle above my head. Fox slip through the underbrush barely escaping detection. I have always taken solace in nature. When the world becomes too much, I invariably turn to nature. As I walk the trails, I am on the lookout for something to surprise me, something to capture my imagination. Nature is the best cure for writer’s block. There is something always out there ready to be discovered, ready to be made known.
Hiking the Great Swamp in Winter Twisted and weather-beaten, A long, fallen branch Undulates under the pond ice, Emerging serpentine, Ready to strike In the frozen air Suspended in mid-hiss. Its black, knothole eyes Search for prey, Its scale-clad body Casts a dark shadow. Nearby, a curious mouse, Skitters across the ice, Slides on silent feet, Pauses for a moment, Then, without trepidation, Hurries on home Through the frosted leaves.
for providing me with discipline to write.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 