Respite--By Mary Jo Balistreri--United States

Respite

is to walk along the sawdust trails
forest’s sun-filtered walls  fallen birch logs,
and the fresh smell of evergreen
    Where cotton trees seed a needled floor
and downy white tufts become a plush carpet
to soften a shoe’s tread
    Where listening to wind
blow through cedars and pines is like water
lapping on a far shore

And there to rest on glacier stone  to watch trilliums
    commingle with oaks  lady slippers
display their yellow shoes unaware that time
has disappeared.
    Where a hermit thrush threads
songs of praise among the trees its melodic
range weaving a loop of garland over draped branches
    To discover that breath is peace and nature
makes sense of our lives when we most need it

Mary Jo Balistreri has two books of poetry published by Bellowing Ark Press and a chapbook by Tiger's Eye Press. She has more recently been enjoying learning and writing haiku type poems. She finds it helps her see differently and experience life in a new way. For more information, please visit her at maryjobalistreripoet.com