Lesson Learned

That startling sound? 

a bird hitting the window.

That startling sight? 

a squirrel carrying it off.

Hoping I’m wrong, I

go out to check. Bird’s still there,

but in shock. I touch

its feathers gently.

It looks up. I speak softly,

then back off. It flies first to

the porch railing, rests

a while, gathers

itself, then flies off. Sometimes,

as the bird and I

discovered, first impressions

can be very, very wrong.

                                                                                JDG

 

Whispered Questions

For a moment I thought

I heard the trees whispering

among themselves:

“We once held them;

will they now hold us?”

                                                                 JDG

Whys and Wherefores

In the midst

of our over-busy lives,

why not take a minute or two

to reflect on why

 we’re doing what we do.

Is it necessary?

Is it kind?

Does it nourish body,

soul or mind?

                                                     JDG

 

Dog On It

When I’m feeling low,

my dog Toby seems to know

and in his wordless way,

he has a world of things to say.

First comes a nuzzle, then a nudge

and if it looks like I won’t budge,

he looks at the door desperately,

knowing I’ll think he has to pee.

On our walk he goes real slow

til I get caught in nature’s flow

and with a great big drooly smile

he celebrates his doggy guile.

                                                                             JDG

 

 

Right Now

If we know where we are,

if we remember where we’ve been,

if we can picture where we want to go,

it must be time to hit the road.

                                                                          JDG

High Aspirations

May we become

that to which we aspire –

one nation, under God,

indivisible, 

with liberty and justice for all.

                                                                          JDG

 

Driving Lesson

Stopped at a red light,

I grip the steering wheel hard,

worried I’ll be late.

All the gripping in the world

won’t make the light change

faster. What needs to change is

me. I sigh, let go, relax.

                                                                          JDG

Voters’ Guide

When you cast your vote

Tuesday, examine your heart.

May your best self win.

                                                               JDG

Starting Point

Without denying 

the reality of darkness,

may we also look for

and bring forth light

wherever we may find it

beginning with ourselves.

                                                                 JDG