sprouts

pale fingertips

reaching out from

broken earth

…

regardless if we decide to throw away

or cut off these toxic ends

to then peel, cook,

and eat our overstored potatoes

we will always

have the choice to replant

them back into the earth

lectures

blackberry thorns

clinging onto gloves

stained in green

…

are lessons learned

from the experiences

our predecessors

and mentors lived through

and distilled into stories

we then hear about

until it turns into a memory

anthem

the garden hose

leaves behind a trail

we forgot existed

…

we seem to gather

and resonate with

musical movements

that at the time

coincide with events

that take place in

and around ourselves

fire drill

fire extinguisher

engulfs the flames

and screaming kids

…

we are stuck reacting

and performing tasks

because we are trained

and instructed to act

this way since

we heard the

sound of the alarm

tetris

tetrominoes

a colorful bridge

stacked up and up

…

we would like to believe

this game can be played

until infinity

but the reality of it all

means we need to critically

and intentionally appreciate

how many lines we’ve cleared

chill

icicles melt

a once blue oasis

turns light purple

…

putting blueberries

inside the freezer

may preserve and extend

their shelf-life

but the texture and taste

may change our preferences

towards the thaw’d berries

turning orange

another friday

watching foliage change

from green to orange

…

as we sit

on the bench

at the park after dark

will we recognize

with our eyes

how many trees

still have their leaves

car freshener

little pines

dangling above

our dashboard

…

lavender can help us sleep

cinnamon can sharpen our mind

pine can relieve our stress

are only a short list

of the amazing

healing benefits

scents provide us with

no wifi

without internet

the garbage truck

still picks up trash

…

what happens

if we are left

without access

to a resource

we feel is essential

to our daily lives

for a period of time?

dedicated to

a bald spot

remnants of evergreens

burned on the hillside

…

if we wrote a book

for the next generation

is it more important

to distill life lessons

we learned along the way

and today or prepare them

for what the future may hold?

vacuum

foam and bubbles

emerging at the back

of the lake

…

we may be able

to suck up and clean

an area once filled

with objects and trash

but what happens

when we need

to discard this waste?

in the kit

at the orchard

a bucket for sitting

a bucket for blueberries

…

obtaining new skills

and techniques takes

years and years

of refinement and practice

until we feel confident

our abilities are worthy

of our and other’s time

it's just paint

white canvas

little pink dots sprinkled

down the frame

…

don’t be afraid

to make mistakes

and create a mess

as the paint that dries

can always be covered

by another layer of paint

with time and appreciation

surf

ocean coast

surfboards await

the next pipeline

…

there will always

be waves that knock us off

our boards and into the water

but with support and encouragement

we can conquer fear and anxiety

and pull ourselves up

to wait and watch for our next wave

rsvp

ripped monogram

half on the envelope

half on the floor

…

making the decision

to attend an event

illustrates our commitment

and devoting our attention

on the day of the celebration

to fully immerse ourselves

into the carousel we call life

cursive

sun-stained diary

a declaration across

mulberry paper

…

regardless if something

becomes the topic of being old

or part of a dimensioning way of life

we cannot deny

it’s current users and audience

hold tightly onto the traditions

purpose and practices

kaleidoscope

stained glass

spartacus dahlias bloom

in the morning sun

…

as we set out

to view a very specific

endpoint or goal

we mistakenly miss

how our environment is

not the one changing

but in fact ourselves

everyone benefits

ripe bananas

packaged in the warehouse

for the village

…

when we volunteer

in our communities

to not only serve and help

others work towards their goals

it gives us a sense of pride

and fellowship for the fact

we decided to make a difference

intertwining

morning sun

picked off the vine

cherry tomatoes

…

emotional intelligence

with delayed gratification

means discovering

and internalizing

why we always say

something is “worth the wait”

after it comes to fruition

86400

welcoming visitors

the deer bows its head

looking for food

…

are the amount

of seconds in a day

that pass us by

as we look at the sky

and try to think of why, how,

and what we should spend

our time doing next