How swiftly they proudly ascend
Towering peaks to no end
Cragged and seemingly peerless
They remain steadfast and fearless

An alp, a ridge, a spiring horn
Nary a soul should feel forlorn
A majestic silhouette in the sky
Billowing clouds drifting by

Changing colors to and fro
Waiting for that lavender alpenglow
Could their be a greater reason
To observe the changes of the new season

Snow caps vanish as the days grow longer
Their beauty within to only wax stronger
Reaching new heights, ever daunting
Sends a chill, sometimes haunting

Picturesque may even understate
But truly one can only adulate
For natures way is not for us to perceive
Take it all in and just believe

Distant objects so very far away
A glimpse in time some would say
Their stories keep us up at night
Glimmering rays of stellar light

If you stare at one up close
You may see its rhythmic pulse
Though each one different on their own
Together they project a greater tone

Can we imagine any greater wonder
Nature’s splendor a gift to ponder
Twinkling stars aglow in the distance
Hard to fathom their mere existence

Myths and legends fill our distant past
Of a colossal cosmos, so boundless and vast
Answers to questions we seek from above
The great mysteries of the origins thereof

Alone in a desert or on some distant shore
Curiosity will always leave us wanting more
Starry night, you inspire us to dream
With rays stretched eternal, forever agleam

It rises up amidst the distant mountain
An awe inspiring sight hard to ascertain
Shadows forming behind the tall pine
Wafting needles beginning to shine

Stars that glimmer now about to wane
A full moon beams without much strain
Black and white turns to shades of grey
Tones that change until the new day

Its lunar features remind us at last
Of cosmic events to a distant past
Craters litter its long barren surface
Forever dormant, absent of malice

Night hawks arrive in search of a meal
The moonlit night brings an awaited zeal
Ruminants graze under a glowing aura
The fauna at one with the abundant flora

Moon glow brings out such a different sense
Mysterious, mystifying and emotionally intense
A lifetime spent marveling its eerie wonder
Time is of the essence for us to ponder

The beauty of nature ever present
May it heal us in times of discontent
The whispering winds sing a song so clear
Of bygone peoples who once lived here

Walking slowly amongst the pine
Helps us forget the present social decline
The whispering winds speak louder of late
Is there a message of our looming fate?

You can hear clearly now if you listen
Look to the sky for the trees a-glisten
The whispering winds teach us so much
The call of nature shall ever keep us in touch

If we yearn for a new perspective
A walk with nature is often effective
The whispering winds may not be heard by all
You must first exhale before you hear it’s call

We seldom cease to realize
What lays right before our eyes
The whispering winds sway limbs to and fro
Listen closely and you too shall know

Colors shift from soft to bright
Reminiscent of  that mesmerizing  firelight
Emerging from the darkness to meet the dawn
Glistening dew clinging to the lawn

Stars that glimmered begin to fade
But the new day has not yet been made
Hummingbird just passing by
In search of that sweet nectar far and wide

Birds trilling for one and all
Hoping in others for that melodic recall
Coyotes yipping in the distance
Perhaps a rabbit is their next big chance

Leaves in the trees lay deathly still
Winds will arise later but not until
Skies will turn from dark to light
But not before the day becomes forthright

Colors shift from soft to bright
Emerges the daylight from the night
Clouds transform to a new color scheme
Pastels without boundaries it would seem

Slowly creating it’s own serpentine
Left then right and then in between
Swift headwater or slow moving bijou
The stream seems to wander, nary a clue

Ducks landing in a secluded backwater
Frantic thrusting wings, feathers a tatter
Birds of all sorts gather, big and small
A grand avian sanctuary answers the call

The willows follow as the gentle wind leads
They all dance together, even the reeds
Some would say a harmonic progression
Together as one, on the edge of obsession

A dorsal fin pierces the water surface tension
Leaving silt below to it’s own suspension
The rainbow trout shows off it’s green and blue
An amazing display of tint, tone and hue

The lazy stream meanders with a certain calm
Mesmerized we watch without a qualm
Rippling water with it’s soul soothing voice
For serenity and peace, no other choice

Undulating clouds that were once so distant
Arrive overhead in what seemed an instant
Never ending swirls of a malevolent wand
Clearly the winds presence was now at hand

Shades of grey turn, light ash to dark slate
Is it the storm’s warning of our looming fate?
Animals become alert, edgy and restless
The incessant crow cawing now breathless

There’s a smell in the air of oncoming rain
A chill in the bones, the foreboding storm plain
Aspen limbs quaking and cedar a spruce
Calm now cedes to squally, a storm to induce

Scared rabbit looking for an elusive burrow
Nary a moment, time lost to dig a new furrow
The Robin’s first instinct to return to the nest
Chirping welcomes her home to be with the rest

The ground moistens, the clouds unleash now
Quenching a thirsty branch, limb and bough
The storm’s fury gives way to clear sky
Nature’s spirit looking us in the eye