hummingbird rescue

by charles coon

remembering
memorial day just days away
now a special celebration
drenched from over-soul pondering
greeting emerson this eve
his 209th year

poor richards
a place for welcoming
many memories disjoined
all gleaned from our
decades of living
a seeming descent
as we spoke and we
listened

antique autos remembered
youthful power and speed
swimwear two-piece and worn
shock and awe
by a nun
a dog shady by name
departure left questions
of lingering life

youthful dark deeds
some expressed some
in silence remained
memories with colors
some of an evil hue
deceased birds and a snake
regret and sorrow
thickening memories
some weighing still

then a reversal
recent memory brought forth
an injured slight bird
poor richards
again our place of recall
a hummingbird wounded
a new life endangered
dim prospects trapped
our darkened concern

clumsy intention then
unexpectedly blessed
a young woman appeared
joining intention with
her joyful acceptance
a bird found home
revival and rest

this memory of rescue
brought spirits ascending
with the bird our recovery
celebration resumed
glasses now lifted
new beginning
emerson 209 soon

("We sink to rise."  RWE)

wind

  by charles coon

from mount sinai

to pentacost

ancient sacred winds

damaging yesterday in

our dimension

branches strewn

rattling treetop leaves

hazy clouds of dust

fires gathering strength

jet stream laden smoke

scaling winds

breathing rhythms 

awareness discovering finally

one wind

yucca spring

by charles coon

romantic callings
spanish bayonet
dagger plant
adams needles
jealously guarding
with expansive labor
a plant nurturing
most startling to find
new life
from adjoining steps in
unbroken broken ladder
rocks then plants

animals finally us

dedicated partnership
from  evolution's mist
simple pollen deliveries
flower unto flower
cells and eggs
carefully enjoined
in pistil cradle womb

symbiosis of light
awaiting birth of spring
plant and animal
mutually interrelating
humble
and most hidden

might we extract
insight for our time
nurturing our awareness
expanding sacred ladder
one spiritual step 
recognizing now clearly

 ladder becoming whole
guarding still nurturing
welcoming spring light
emulating and repeating
a yucca mother's pattern
stupendous birthing
young yuccamoths
her amazing 

our enlightening

brood

(with appreciation for genesis 2:15,

and for advice from a real life 

yucca momma)

iris spring

flags

replicating and encroaching

sharpened green swords

monotonous and marching

poisons and a secret

carefully concealing

awaiting annual signal

when spring approves

only briefest revelation

veritable explosion of

glory

simultaneously approving

quick resumption of

marching

---charles coon

Sublime

by Charles Coon

In our rocky mountain vistas
and certain landscape
paintings
Our imaginings are captured
sometimes clear and ordered
in others stormy patterns
hiding then revealing
dark and jagged forms
almost hearing the hawk's
invisible circling call
Imagining ourselves on
precipitous mountain paths
blown by shifting icy winds
vertigo and dark crevices
fearsome obstacles foreshadowing
impending loss     then
most suddenly we return
to our observation places
warmth safety comfort
as before
our imagined landscape fears
now engulfed transformed 
within a joyous 
pervading light
a jolting new experience
mysteriously named by some
as the sublime

The word a gentle quiet 
merging
of beauty and twin terrors
of fear and loss
Might we then find
in this our landscape viewing
a rehearsal
for life's dark confrontations
and on a promising day
enfold transmute and
with ecstatic labor
discover true beginnings
new births
reaching this time 
to a friend
we know and name
Our Sublime