Be

You may think nothing is happening -

the only movement is sound

We can’t go anywhere until it cools down

so we have to wait, sitting

on the forest floor

under the shady pines

Nothing to do but

count my bites, swat at gnats,

shoo the woodpecker from our cracker box

do a crossword puzzle until I get stuck on

“River through Portugal,”

be soothed by green,

drink water from a canteen

This is an exercise in being

To be is the art of not

Not there, but here

Not do, but sit

Trees be

I suddenly awaken from my outdoor nap -

For the first few seconds

 you wake up cleaned of your mind –

where have you been?

The pine needles stay on the trees

until they’re ready to fall

and not a moment sooner

-rc