On a wave we ride together;
A trip we never wanted to take,
A club we never wanted to join,
Waves of sadness, tears and heartbreak
Ripples through us all.
We are pushed and pushed
Onto another tide.
But the ocean of our unity,
The ocean of our courage,
Will keep us afloat when we are low.
A bond we can now see,
Bridges us to love, safety and care.
We shall guide our ship to shore.
This ship is no longer theirs to control.
inspired by the Me Too Movement
For her, he found it.
A tall standing lamp
Boxed in an empty hardware store.
Opened eagerly, assembling
His manliness with nuts and bolts.
She scoffed at his effort.
Her laugh carried his heartbeat,
Fast as light
Enough to see her complexion.
Well-lit
For her, he finally saw.
Mount Rainier at Reflection Lakes, one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen
I went to a poetry festival a few years ago. There was one poet who stood out for me, but I unfortunately don’t remember her name. She read her poem aloud. After sitting through and hearing from other poets read their pieces, I admittedly felt kind of lost because I couldn’t understand what they were saying entirely. I know that this may be the case with some of my poetry pieces here and that’s okay. We all interpret things differently. But with her poem, I knew what she was saying. She talked about how she found value in writing poetry as a way for her to preserve history. She would reference animals of current day because someday they may not be current anymore. I didn’t value what she had said then, but I certainly do now.
This was years ago and it was relevant then as it is now. It’s safe to say that there are so many beautiful things in this world that I’ll never see. Safe to say and sad to say. After reading their post about Glacier National Park, Jennifer and Vivian reminded me of this poet. The value of her words and what they mean. Our world is disappearing piece by piece. There are things that my future children and their children will never ever get to see in person. And for causes that could have been preventable. It breaks my heart to realize this.
Our time in Glacier National Park was an unforgettable one. Beautiful as it was, we couldn’t help but question how it was possible a park that used to boast a large number of 150 glaciers now only have 25 active glaciers remaining –– which are said to disappear within 10 years. Can you believe that? In 10 years our future generations will no longer be able to see what we saw or enjoy what we enjoyed. In 10 years we won’t see the park as it was, ever again. Climate change is real. It’s happening in our lifetime and Glacier National Park is proof of that. – tinycaravan, To Explore: Glacier National Park
I so appreciate and value what we do have. It makes me savor the photographs and memories of the national parks I have seen (I feel so lucky to have the resources to do so) and to make a list of ones I want to visit that are still here; to preserve them through words and in life, to share them and shower them with love and attention.
Quick links from the National Park Service
Donate | Artist-in-Residence programs | Volunteer | Get an annual pass (4th graders can get for free)
To disclose this sentiment,
We enveloped ourselves,
Packaged our gratitude and attitude
In a sealed box for delivery.
For the time when,
The recipient sees it, opens it,
To discover ideas and articulate thoughts.
But we can’t waste time anymore,
There aren’t enough supplies
To generate and operate.
We have to negotiate,
We have to create,
We have to elevate.
a poem on sustainability and protecting our natural resources
The heat was dry in the car,
Sweat hung onto our skin,
Uncomfortably, but familiar.
There was a beautiful body of water,
Beyond the tall grass we walked through.
The breeze cooled a little, but not fully.
There were footprints from others before.
I slipped off my sandals and walked on the sand.
Without them, there was no protection.
Tiny rocks and pieces of shell from creatures,
Told me there was life here without me.
Without us to witness, this was only a dream.
Waves would roll in and only they would know.
You came back to me as you stared through me,
“We are at the end of the earth,” you said.
Chills brushed through my arms and back.
I breathed in and my lungs felt full,
It felt like I carried all the heaviness
With me, here, to change it.
You grabbed a fistful of sand in your palms,
As if you were carrying your life.
You said it feels nothing like it looks.
At this end of the earth, we are here.
Where life feels like a dream,
With the rawness comes beauty,
With the heaviness, comes change.
With the breeze, comes heat.
Nothing is ever as it seems,
Unless you grab onto it
And see it for what it is,
Feel it for what it feels.
We began as strangers,
Indifferent towards our identities.
Lost in a crowded room,
Like on a train platform in rush hour,
We searched and we found.
Among a sea of eyes,
We looked into each other’s.
Silent, yet understood.
As we walked out together,
To catch the next train home.
Eyes closed, a baby cries.
Mother holds, a voice speaks.
Calm, soothing, safe, warm.
Mother’s voice in mother tongue.
Land from afar, but presence up-close.
Eyes opened, a baby sees.
Mother holds, a voice speaks.
Her movements were imperfect.
Something about her didn’t fit.
My eyes deceived me then.
Unable to identify her beauty.
She was warmth and tough love.
I saw high standards and ignorance.
As I got older, I had to wear glasses.
To see clearly, the world beyond fog.
And what I saw was her outline.
A memory stands among others,
Of her love for life, her ease in existence.
Mistakes weren’t catastrophes;
The potential came after, “Now what?”
As ever beautiful nature is,
Life’s challenges comes as easy.
In the midst of chaos,
There are also roses of care
Grown, delivered and received.
Streams of light still shines
Even in the last moments of sunsets.
Streams of water cool and calm in the night.
For a mere few hours, a new day begins.
A new path to create if we choose to.
Or an old path to follow if we do not.
Sweet egg tart dessert releases joy to palate.
With the softness of the yellow egg custard,
With the flaky buttery, shortbread cookie crust;
Too quick does this moment end with crumbs,
But the taste & memory still lingers on.
As simply beautiful as a waterfall is,
The movement has layers of complexities.
Starting as one long stream,
Each water molecule unites.
Traveling together as a whole.
As rock formations collide,
Divisions and barriers are created.
One stream becomes several,
Each traveling on their own path.
After several paths align with light,
They create the intangible rainbow.
Illuminating through each as they pass.
Becoming a whole new entity.
A creation of beauty needing both,
Not one or just the other.
Weathering through the imminent crash at the bottom,
Supporting and uniting together again like before.
Calm and peaceful waters drift along,
More different than before,
but unchanged in their element.
Narada Falls, Washington.
side by side, you both walk.
on your own, paving your way.
taking shortcuts when it made sense
and trekking the long way to make it all up.
bound by a connection unknown,
experiencing adventures simultaneously
creating memories others cannot feel.
secrets written in cryptic code
in a language only lovers speak.
What would I see,
If I was the tallest tree (in the world)?
My age is but a number,
But a great number indeed.
Thousands of years,
Earth’s changes I’ve seen many.
I am resilient, strong and reliable.
Withstanding weather beatings a plenty.
Come visit me and my family.
We are calming and wise.
A new connection to nature,
Will surely be a pleasant surprise.
The fabric was soft to touch,
It reminded me of warm laundry.
It smelled clean like towels and sweaters
Folded neatly and placed in drawers.
The resource warranty expired years ago,
Did we not want to renew the insurance?
The care instructions on the tags rubbed off.
Hand wash-only I think, but we now only use machines.
about sustainability
His presence lingered where he stood,
A space filled with a little bit of weight.
Crossing between realms of reality.
Being in multiple fields of visions.
Everywhere, yet, nowhere at all.
