Elements, indivisible, naked
A single wayward rain drop falls from above
Clouds a whisper away
Sun heat thawing my helplessness
Tender wind cascading in the space between my fingers
Stubborn bones draped on stubborn rocks
Awake again, surrendering to their dance

I was hiking
With a nine year old boy
The other day

And suddenly he slipped

It wasn't a bad fall
Not even a scratch
I doubt if it even bruised

But he started crying
And screaming

He yelled,
I can't do it!
It hurts too much!
I have to go back!

And I said,
I know how that feels,
But you've just got to keep going
Because I knew he wasn't actually hurt

The thing was,
I was never talking about the hike

It would make sense
If joy
Were toenails

Because
Joy is small
You don't really notice it
Until it's gone
The same is true of toenails

Also,
If you are hiking
Too long
And too hard
Your toenails
Will actually fall off

The same is true of joy

This is why,
It would make sense if
Joy were toenails

hand in hand and two bright lights
moving through the calm night
leaves lit by the moon
hoping to find water soon
an eerie calm
loosely clasped palms
a sudden hesitation
and running imaginations
whispering with you
over a noise or two
a light disappeared
slight unacknowledged fear
****** rising
emotions heightening
a disturbance in the leaves
a tighter hold, a startled scream
you called my name
two large ears hopped away
laughter ensued
steps continued
the destination seen piece by piece
place to rest and regain peace
a rushing water found
feet slowly moving with arms around
to an unheard beat
water and rock beneath our feet
under the flecks of stars through trees
perfect night with you next to me

Life
“Life is good,” we say
As we contentedly stroll along the high road
The sun shining, friends around
Everything seems perfect
For this little while
And life is
Good.

Road
The path ahead looks straight
We trek forward, between the greenery
trees, flowers
Talking, always talking
guys, girls, sports, school
Words filling the air
Mixing with kicked up
Dust.

Tree
The tallest sign of life around
Lining the path, enjoying the view
Strong, mighty, trustworthy
it might do us well to join them
Grab hold of a branch as we lean
Over the edge to see the landscape
Such a long way down
suddenly
Snap.

Oh branch, so trusted, why must you fail?
Strong tree, tall tree, deceiving his visitors
falling, tumbling
ten feet
twenty feet
Ground.

Now you cling to that life you were content to just wander through
Those flowers and the sun seem now too much like a dream
Black.

Life
You wake up.
You feel pain.
remember
breathe
And life
Is.

The dry desert calls
We all fall in line
Lost among the footfalls
The mountains are my shrine
As the rocks hold the beat
While nature sings her song
And the sun brings his heat
As the wind pushes me along
         L.Cole

As i run through the mountians
I have nothing on my mind
I close my eyes and breathe in
Feelings the fresh air enter my lungs
The pain and hurt slowly fades away

For nature calms the anxiety
As the sunlight reaches my face
The glow warms my whole body
I have found my nirvana

On a mountain near a waterfall
I watch the water crash against the rocks
It reminds me of all my anguish  
It come slowly but falls fast and hits hard

I close my eyes and feel the wind
It blows against my face
Sending chills down my spine
For I have found my nirvana
And I do not wish to leave

So light
I brushed the drops away
With a wave.    
But long enough
To soak the earth
And fallen timber.                
I balanced on precariously
Traversing effervescent deluge
Losing purchase
And contemplating a sanguine palm.
Empathy swells the waves
That wash from each other.

Determination as a river flows
Bending to gravity and the like
There's no knowing how far it goes
That is, unless you take the hike