CreativeVortex; the Blog

Across my field on the other side of Noyo River stands, a redwood tree,
In its dead top branches, osprey raise their young in craggy crown.
Years have passed and countless seasons, fledglings learning how to soar,
Guided by the ancient knowledge, taught by those who came before.

Through the winters, through the summers, steadfast stands the ancient tree,
Witness to the cycle’s rhythm, life and death in harmony.
Osprey parents teach their offspring, how to fish and how to fly,
How to build a nest from nothing, reaching upwards to the sky.

Generations come and flourish, nurtured by this timeless guide,
In the shadows of the branches, where the river meets the tide.
Secrets of the Noyo River, whispered through the rustling leaves,
In the heart of craggy branches, where the osprey find reprieve.

Two weasels dance within the silver stream,
That cuts through fields on its way to Noyo’s flow.
Beneath the willows drooping, soft and green,
They weave and whirl in playful undertow,
As sunlight gleams on water’s gentle dream.

Upon my path, a Douglas fir cone lies,
Its woody scales conceal small mousies’ prize.
In secret nooks, the tiny creatures hide,
Their quiet homes within the cone abide.
Nature’s small wonders, tucked in forest’s guise.

Upon the steps where sunlight warmly falls,
A garter snake in stillness calmly lies.
Its slender form in golden stripes enthralls,
As gentle rays reflect from watchful eyes.
In nature’s grace, it basks, serene and wise.

My neighbor, the Puma, prowls silently, deadly as the night.
I never see him, but his lethal artistry leaves its mark.
The remains of his hunts, scattered bones in the field.
A silent beauty, he moves with grace unseen.
His powerful body, lithe and muscular, slinks through tall grasses.
In the shadows, he is a phantom, a whisper on the wind.
The cries in the night send chills through my spine.
An echo of the wild, a reminder of nature’s raw force.
He is the unseen predator, the ghost in the moonlight.
His presence a secret, known only by his deadly work.
A master of stealth, his power lies in his silence.
My neighbor, the Puma, a creature of untamed elegance.

By Noyo’s flow, the Kingfisher takes flight,
Its wings ablaze with azure, swift and bright.
It dives with grace, a flash of beak and spray,
Emerging victor, fish in grasp, its prey.
On river’s edge, it rests as day burns bright.

Title of a compilation of poems from my time in Mendocino County, California.

In redwood groves, where shadows cast their spell,
I tread through ferns in wetlands, green and still.
Among the leaves, a flash of scarlet scales—
The red-bellied salamander’s tale prevails.
Its form, so rare, in nature’s hush revealed.

Rhododendrons, blossoms peeking, glimmer in the forest shade,
Redwood giants, towering, whisper secrets, ancient laid.
Highway 20 snakes through shadows, coastal air a gentle guide,
Petals glowing, pink and purple, colors vivid, open wide.

Nature’s splendor intertwined, a canvas rich and deeply hued,
From the inland hills to seashore, where the waves in rhythm brood.
Morning mist upon the leaves, a diamond’s sparkle soft and light,
In the forest’s cool embrace, the flowers bask in dawn’s first light.

Traveler, behold the beauty, rhododendrons, redwoods tall,
Nature’s symphony in bloom, enchantment sings for one and all.

Through ancient woods where sunlight softly gleams,
I walk beneath the giants’ towering beams.
The whispering leaves and needles form a song,
As shadows dance and guide my steps along.
A rocky outcrop, nature’s fort, I find,
Where ferns cascade in green, their fronds aligned.
Like armored scales upon a dragon’s side,
They cling to stone where time and earth collide.
In quiet awe, I touch this living wall,
A testament to life, both grand and small.