Come with me,
Along this path:
Through the forest,
Towering over us on either side.
Smell the greenery
All around.
Orchestral accompaniment
From countless birds.

Hope you feel engaged
As we stroll along.
And now the pathway branches out!
Six new paths,
Six choices.
Let’s take one.
Off we go.

We risk being lost.
What wonders
Or horrors (!)
Will we find?

The woods **** us in,
Further and further forward.
Punctuated by pesky gnats.
Expect itchy red spots
When you get home.

Onward and onward.
Bees and butterflies.
Sun streaming through the branches up above,
Trees topped by fleecy white clouds.

At last – a clearing!
Can I hear the sea or just a lake?
Or is there a stream nearby?
I see a golden parting of the ways,
A little land beyond forever.
But what do You see???

Paul Butters

Forests were torn down and
cities built because of surety.

How can your child's face
assure me of my future?

the cuckoo still sings
over the traffic smoke,
children still carve
forts by the sea,

gulmohars still bloom
over the widening road,

you could still stir early,
jog through frozen silences,
travel for an hour, still
bathe under a waterfall,

walk up a ruined hill fort,
watch the falling of meteors,

you could still save yourself,  
here in this decay and filth,
you could dig up a little earth,
and ply a little ***** on it,

feed it like a little child,  
and make a tree out of it...

The Rockies sing to us at sunrise

      when crystal snow-capped peaks
chant iridescent matins to the dawn,
      the dawn of a fresh new mountain day.

Luminous pastel clouds
     hover across the horizon
painting the hills and valleys below
     in mysterial shades of
lavendar, amber and rose.

The Rockies sing to us at daybreak
      when every crest and vale
unites in raising anthems to the dawn,
      The dawn of a bright new mountain morn.

Forests and fields awaken.
      A bull elk grazes by an alpine lake.
An eagle soars through the morning mist
      over rainbows of Indian paintbrush.
A hilltop lake spills over its rim
      and cascades down the *****
etching serpentine streams in the valley below.

We can hear the mountains singing.
      In every creature, ridge and flower
They bring to us their jublilant songs
      of wilderness, wildlife and wonder
.

We can hear the Rockies singing.

      The mountains sing forever!

*June, 2009

Pine tree forests stretch
In the middle of nowhere
And I'm without you

In the wee hours
as the crickets chirp
and frogs and owls converse
a forest symphony
outside my window

I am reminded why I came here
not so long ago
for the glory of the Milky Way
the Moon and all the stars

as far away from light pollution
as we could have come
for the river
for the woods
for the quiet

And on those days when I would trade
our winters for a song
I think of all the years it took
to bring me to this place

I walk the woods in gratitude
for all our many gifts
and think
perhaps
the owls feel the same

drowning in a sea of stars and lavender

you fill my head with dreams of forests and our feet on ice

    you text me at 2 am and I pray I am the first thing on your mind

but I'm trying not to let my red string get knotted up in your fingers

   that you play so carefully with

This is my hope
this is my dream.
A world of bliss
and an undying sea.

A kindled flame
burning within.
A fierce light
no Darkness can touch.

I look into
the eye of my mind.
Searching for what
wonders I find.

And this is what I see
this is the dream,
the dream for me.

Far across the distant seas
across deep waters and gray horizons.
Farther still then the great unknown
to the secret realm
the heavens have never shown.

A land of peace,
a home to all.
Cool waters flowing through silver forests,
green grasses sway in the warm breath
of the summer breeze.


The stars dance as one,
in this realm of mine.
The lights glow warm
and trees sway and swing.

They dance like the lilies
and shout like the lion.
They thunder and roar
they yearn for more and more.

In this dreamy land of mine,
where the sun never ceases to shine.
Where the grass grows tallest,
and waters fall in cascading torrents.

Where the winds softly blow,
rustle the tree tops
and make the fires glow.

In this world of mine
I see a house of blue and of white.
A beacon for the lost
a guide for the endangered.

It stands upon a grassy knoll
flowers and pines embrace its neck.
Jagged rocks and steeple towers
keeping it ever in check.

In this dearest dream of mine,
I see children laughing and a mother smiling.
I see warmth and love
I am surrounded in a perfect happiness.

The kind of happiness
that could only come from such things.
The kind of happiness
that such a life only could bring.

In this world of mine
the bright sun never ceases to shine.
The grass grows tallest
and the stars dance as one.

And in the midst of all the beauty
in the center of everything I love,
of everything I care for
of everything I have ever dreamed for.

In the midst
standing like the golden sight
that covers me
in the early morning light

A clear morning star.
Draped in the wondrous array
of the heavens.

You appear brightest of all.

In this world of mine
You are the star.
You are my home.

Your eyes shine
like the beacons of Amiridan.
They touch the far reaches.
of my human heart.
Your love
fairest of all treasures beheld.
I can close my eyes
and I am whisked away into a starry gray haven.

I can look into your eyes
and I am at a loss.

For your depths are fathomless
your deepness an abyss.
I could swing
and I could sing
and I could dream
and I could float,
upon rivers of joy.

I could dance with you
hand in hand,
just like the stars in my silly little dream,
and dance as one for now and forever.

In this dream of mine
this vision this blurry far off realm,
there is you and there is me,
there is hope for us both.

There is a life
that cannot be shaken
There is a light
untouchable,
unmovable.



The stars
like glowing embers.
The oceans
raging remembers.

The heavens and the far reaches of the galaxy's
they are one
under my dazzling dream.
They are beautiful,
bright and surreal.

They are amazing.

They dominate all other life forms
they cover the darkness and hide the fear.
They blot out the misery
they guard.
protect.

They protect us from all hurt
they keep us safe and warm.
They alight the room
they sing melodically
enveloping us as we shift and sway.

And as I take your hand in mine
the stars brightly begin to shine.
And under the shining of the stars
I whisper softly in your ear.

“Darling look, this wondrous world,
this world of beauty of life and love,
this perfect paradise,
this magical land under the shining stars
is ours,
and ours alone.