Peace shattered
by insanity
holds no promise of healing
just of eventual sorrowful acceptance

When a boulder falls from a height
And crashes into the forest below
Focus not on the boulder
How it fell
Why
Focus instead on the sheltering oaks
In the peaceful forest
Shattered and broken by the unexpected impact
And the many little acorns they sheltered
Crushed
Which will never grow to tree

The great tree
Leans a bit more
Now that the wind and rain have passed
A few more branches lie beneath it on the ground
Torn by storm from where tree touched sky
But once again tree survives
Yet
The tree knows
That this time
Roots broke under the strain
Of wind and rain
And the likelihood is
It won't survive the next storm

The crunch of driveway gravel
announces the arrival
of traditional
friends
for a holiday
tradition

The old clay jar sits
tied to a tree with worn rope
a small arm sticking from its small opening.
The monkey sits
clutching an orange inside the jar
afraid to let go.
So they sit
both unaware
of the world beyond.
A world of tigers yes
but a world also filled
with more oranges that can be counted.

My newer driver
feels the excitement
of a ski jumper
as she is poised
in her car
at the top of our driveway
as the snow falls
and
her mind set
she is off.

Snowfall brings
peace
quiet
this winter's morning