reflections

Midsummer’s day

~ ~M ~ 32 Comments

There’s magic to be found
on this midsummer day;
quiet reflections prevent it
from skittering away.

Gilded rays of light
affectionately dance;
it seems almost as if the sun
is looking for romance.

The rippling river responds,
flowing joyously round the bend,
sweeping along sparkling waters
which seem eager to descend.

Dainty green grasses dot
the edges of the stream,
always the perfect place
to curl up and dream.

Breath held deep,
eyes shut good and tight,
yet even behind closed lids,
the sun still shines so bright.

The larks seem unbothered,
flying straight overhead,
collecting more fluff
for their soft downy beds.

Cracking an eye
at the snap of a stick,
a pudgy little lizard
scurries away so quick.

Lifting to lean,
face cupped in hand,
fighting the obligation
to get up and stand.

Gaze suddenly caught
by unexpected delight,
endless rows of sunflowers
stretching towards the light.

Energized by excitement
as more wonders abound,
amazed by the brilliance
while looking around.

Every curiosity of nature,
free for all to share,
nothing else in this life
can ever compare.

© 2022 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/trees-riverbank-summer-nature-6541315/

Why would I?

~ ~M ~ 33 Comments

Choosing what to remember,
often looking beyond,
time has been kind to me;
the memories are fond.

I could sink into a slew
of unfavorable recollections,
but my heart knows the cost
of unsightly reflections.

So the bright side wins out,
neither a regret nor a sigh,
and I never feel too bad
when my head is in the sky.

Others may decide to loiter
in the pit of despair,
but why would sensible me
ever choose to go there.

© 2021 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/young-woman-sitting-overlooking-731142/

I remember that day…

~ ~M ~ 41 Comments

I remember the way the branches
curled towards me that day,
the way they swayed to and fro.
It was something
beautifully unexpected,
a miracle of nature,
a divine curiosity.
And I remember standing there
in wide-eyed awe,
losing myself
to the sheer loveliness,
lost in a state
of childlike wonder.
Chills crept down my spine
in delightful little bits,
and goosebumps erupted
as a plethora
of tingling sensations
washed over me
from head to toe.
But the thrill
wasn’t meant to last,
and after one breathless sigh
I blinked,
and the exquisite array vanished.
That was when
the heaviness began to gather
at my feet,
and an unforeseen darkness
approached from a place
I’d never been.
As the winds altered
their direction,
everything changed.
And the wondrous splendor
of that unforgettable day
is still nowhere to be found.

© 2021 Michelle Cook

Photo taken: July 10, 2020 in Milton, WI

Burying yesterdays

~ ~M ~ 46 Comments

The afternoon settles
into a quiet calm.
But it’s here
in this noiseless state,
where I find myself interrupted
by restless winds.
Those unexpected currents
stir up buried memories
of regretful sighs
and uneasy bitter truths.
Then with trepidation
coursing through my veins,
a quiet declaration is made.
I move in silent determination,
carefully traversing
those frustrating fields,
where chaotic blooms
begin to mushroom in my mind.
At last taking control,
seizing those past reflections,
wrestling with the delirium
of all those unspoken things.
And finally after hours
of agonizing lamentations,
those lingering grievances
begin to crumble
inside an iron-gripped will.
All those listless thoughts
long in their coming,
turning to ash,
fluttering lifelessly to the ground,
tasting their very last words.

© 2021 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: Pixabay.com

Turbulent tranquility

~ ~M ~ 17 Comments

There she was, umbrella in hand, floating down towards the edge of a gentle stream.  At times she’d been like a whirling dervish, full of boundless energy and chaotic vigor.  And yet, at the same time, there were other occasions where the current would carry her over long, tranquil airstreams.  

She’d glide along over the endless fields, absorbing the grandeur of the picturesque valleys, which all looked more like patchwork quilts than anything else.  Then suddenly, she’d hit an air pocket and be frolicking away again, like a frenzied feather on an urgent mission.

Once touching down, she gasped, as crisp waters from a melodious little brook jarred her breezy state of mind.  Now, wide awake, she looked down at the icy waters lapping at her bare feet and wondered how she’d come to find herself in such a fantastic place.

© 2021 Michelle Cook

*This brief reflection is based on a dream I had last year.  It was the kind of dream that one never wants to wake from.  The kind that leaves your heart soaring and your mind enraptured by a carefree spirit.  I smile every time I think back on that lovely dream.  I just wanted to explore further and see where all those hills and valleys would take me.  To get lost in a dream is often such an awe-inspiring experience.  I can only hope this year will be filled with more visions like this.

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/woman-girl-model-umbrella-parasol-3795636/