EARTH DAY IS EVERY DAY
Taking care of the earth and nature comes naturally once you take a walk slowly appreciating the plants, animals, insects and birds around you. I am lucky to have a small nature preserve on my doorstep.
AROUND THE POND
The glossy ibis displays its iridescent green feathers,
The bright white egret dips into the water ,
the duck couple hang out close together,
The squeaky moor hens paddle around.
It’s late in the day, the golden hour
the lizard on the path is ignoring me
so I have to step around it.
The squadrons of dragonflies are back
black and gold wings whirring helicopter blades
INTO THE WOODS
Down low to the ground
looking into the eyes of the gopher tortoise,
calm and trusting he looks straight at me,
he knows his role and how to survive
In this harsh dry landscape,
Playing his part protecting his animal friends
offering his home as safe shelter
when fires and floods strike.
Dragonflies and butterflies,
bowl moss and Spanish moss,
spiky palms and dead tree skeletons.
Walking alone in silence
planes and birds flying overhead
another Gopher walks slowly towards me.
In the distance a black snake slithers across the path
Sliding quickly into the woods
moments later another glides in the same direction
not waiting for me like the gopher
Here lizards skip across the ground quickly,
Pine needles crunch under my feet.
I approach the marsh as quietly as possible.
Not silently enough, the hawk flew off.
Grasses swaying gently in the breeze
grasshoppers hanging on to every leaf
different sizes many different colors
Tasty morsels for birds but no birds in sight
the occasional dragonfly flies in
claiming leaf landing rights too
DOWN TO THE WATERWAY
Shadows, pavement cracks and twigs
turn into snakes that don’t move.
Jumping mullets and floating alligators are real,
Breeze blows in the smell of the water.
Where are the early morning river otters right now?
A teenage alligator floats
nostrils and eyes just above the surface.
A hermaphroditic magnolia tree about to flower,
buds different sizes and maturities,
only a few have opened into snow white flowers
to reveal the intricate inner beauty:
the female carpel and the male stamen
As the sun sets
Anhinga majestically spreads wings
Osprey on the far side scans the river ,
Egret flies in low and stops for a quick snack
next to friendly blue and tricolor herons,
ignoring the loud singing and clapping
bouncing across the water
they keep fishing and eating.
I’m getting hungry now.
ODE TO FLORIDA SUMMERS
The ominous black and grey clouds
roll across the level landscape
as if pulled by a coal powered,
steam driven chariot of fire.
With a roar and rumble
the rains pour down
like a thousand showers
right above our heads.
Flashes of bright forked lightning
silhouette the cypress hammock
as water quickly fills the hollows
covering the trees roots and knees.
Nature happily opens up her lips,
waiting for these rains
to flood the dried out marshes
to release the waiting creatures
Tadpoles, newts, salamanders
all will quickly explode and emerge
from their enforced hibernation
in opaque egg packages.
Our ever-present waders
majestic egrets and great blue herons
nimble tricolor herons and ibises
enjoy new found foods.
Can you imagine happy panthers and coyotes
looking up at the rain clouds
mouths open wide
drinking in the fresh water.
Then shaking their bodies wildly
throwing out whirling circles
of prismatic water droplets
as the sun breaks through.
The double rainbow arches over the lake,
the washed live oak leaves shine brightly,
each an individually polished mirror
reflecting the bright sun’s return.
Gone is the dark grey afternoon storm light
replaced by brightness from a cloudless blue sky
soon to become pink and gold,
the sunset skies of monsoon season.
The Norherners have migrated back
to the lands of melting snow and thawing ice
where multi colored spring flowers:
crocuses, daffodils and tulips
sprout up to welcome the snow birds back.
We are left now in a more peaceful
less crowded and quieter place
watching the burrowing owls and owlets
black skimmers flying inches above the water
dolphins playing in the fishing boats wake.
The heat and humidity are high
yet summer in Florida is delightful.
A season to enjoy in many ways
for these next one hundred days.
©MartinStrasmore2022
