How to Walk in the Woods (and the World)

How I walk in the woods (and the world) :

I announce my presence without speech,
beaming love to all (tree) beings:
"I come in peace, with respect."
I hope they hear.

I walk gently, quietly,
exchanging smiles and breaths.
"Good morning," I say to all passing
trees, people, dogs - (especially dogs).
"Beautiful morning!" I exult, and
"You're the most beautiful dog!
Have a treat!" The dogs all smile.
Sometimes the people, too.
(Maybe I need to carry chocolates
in the other pocket?)

I look for the small beauties,
and they are everywhere -
babies' smiles and sweet little growls, old man's beard
on cedar, the first unfurling white spring blossoms,
green things, poking their heads up
after the long winter.

I turn down unexplored pathways,
eyes open to the magic.
I listen for the messages
the forest has to give.

I take my inspiration from the sky.
"Look up!" I tell
the merry passers-by.
"There's a Sky-Show going on,
this very second,
just for you and I."

I am back from a cool poetry workshop given to we seniors by our Poet Laureate Joanna Streetly. The exercise was to think of something we love to do, and to jot down vocabulary and ideas about it. Then to write a poem using those things to illustrate how we apply them to our way of being in the world.  I chose walking in the forest, as it is easy to transfer the wonder to walking through life with eyes "open to the magic."

for Brendan at earthweal