Somme Woods – Poetry, Short Prose and Walking

A Smile from Somme Woods

This trail was made for such as me
Who’d sometimes like a woods to see
Though urban sidewalks faithfully
May lead me on elsewhere.

Without the leaves my sight can go
Between the bony branches so
I look about. Beyond them show
Home-bound streets out there.

Linked to Trent P. McDonald’s The Weekly Smile. Although chilly and overcast my walk through autumn’s presentation of Somme Woods made me smile.

Also linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the theme “spooky”. The photo below with all the dark, bony branches seem spooky.

Keep

Maple leaves charm forest floor.
Imagine there’s an open door
That keeps one satisfied - no more.
Walk along the way.

Simplicity, that raging fire,
Lets dreams go deep to then rise higher.
With worries done all doubts retire
To reach the end of day.

Linked to dVerse Quadrille. Kim from Writing in North Norfolk hosts with the theme word “keep”.

Autumn Gratitude

Colder weather, cloudy skies,
Foliage brilliant to the eyes.

Liked to dVerse Open Link Night. Linda Lee Lyberg is hosting.

Wild

What’s wild is very peaceful–
Silent flowing grace.
It isn’t all that civilized,
But with sure eyes we’d be surprised
To see a loving face.

Text: Linked to dVerse Poetics. Jilly is hosting with the theme “wild”.

Photos: “Around Green Bay”, above, “Somme Woods in Spring”, below.

Monotherapy

The pills I pop are not enough
To pop me out of here.
Addictions though prefer the pop
And that is what I fear.

Text: “Monotherapy” is a new word for me and I am not on any pills. I am linking this to dVerse Open Link Night. Toni is hosting.

Photo: I took this photo at Somme Woods Forest Preserve a few weeks ago.

Man Made Meets Mother Nature

The shoin house is simply made.
It looks upon the pond.
Nature tolerates that, too.
She’s proud to see what we can do,
How pretty we respond.

Nature doesn’t simulate.
She plays the game for keeps.
We assume we know it all.
We reach the cliffs. We brag. We fall.
She cradles, dreams and sleeps.

Photos: “Shoin House”, above, and “Drain in Forest Preserve”, below, both by the author. The shoin house is part of the Chicago Botanic Garden and the drain is in Somme Woods. They are linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with theme “Man Made Meets Mother Nature”. The bottom one is for trablogger’s Mundane Monday.

Harvest Moon By Day

When I look down I face the harvest moon
Although I see the earth in morning light.
The sun climbs on my back until it’s noon.
Dead trees lie on the ground, rebirth in sight.
The harvest moon, bright round, will shine tonight.
The woodland path unwinds me here and there
Then stops as cautious deer run off somewhere.

Text: The form of this poem is Chaucerian stanza or rime royal using iambic pentameter with rhyme pattern ababbcc. I plan to use this form on Thursday for the dVerse Form for All.

Photos: “Path Through Fallen Tree”, above, and “More or Less Facing the Harvest Moon”, below, by the author. Linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with theme “Under the Harvest Moon” and trablogger’s Mundane Monday. I took all photos at Somme Woods Forest Preserve in Northbrook, Illinois, around the time of the harvest moon.