have you ever looked
closely at the start of a sunflower
before a nubbin of flower
even starts to appear
ten inches from the dirt and proud
leaves like arms or wings
open and outstretched in surrender
all green and arced
bending up and out
toward light
with complete trust
( I want to be more like you)
but I keep walking
in a deciduous sea of trees and green
a Juniper's bark
the color of rust and red clay
gifts its primordial perfume
smoke - salt - umami earth
a fragrance like nothing else
I know of
dusty coins of eucalyptus
anxiously flutter on the wind
they beg me closer
to share some gossip
about the nosy roses
next door
and I keep walking
oops
a slug crosses my path
and I do a little jig
to avoid a squish
thank you for starting my day
with dance, little friend
the morning air is haunted by smells
strange scents that go unnamed
bypassing my thoughts
speaking directly to my soul
a concrete edge of sidewalk
is the closest thing to a pew
I do not kneel but
carry on
under the Sun that is beginning to rise
while everyone else
is still sleeping
my beautiful hairy dog friend
glistens in the day's first light
yanking on my limbs
calling on her ancient
dog ability to tear up and down hills
pulling me through woods
making me partner of her hunt
every walk
a tiny revelation
a lesson never learned
behind doors
