"Rum River"
a poem by G.E. Nordell
in Spring the rustle of the ever-moving wind
passes gossip of the day
from tree to bush to tree
the solitary pecker announces sweet success
by cessation of his hungry knock
as flights of birds serenade the flowers
with Nature's symphony on wing
impossible insectivores jump and dart and buzz
upon the Summer lea
as pollen-laden worker bees hum in harmony
the swift, cool stream leaps and splashes, laughing
on its forever journey, toward eternal sea
Nature has no clock machines to tick away the hours
or cause alarm
yet Man – silly, hurried Man –
must bump and crash and rip and bang
fighting lovely Nature, fighting Time
to build ever-futile monuments to self
– but that will pass and not be missed
the Autumn air turns quickly cold
and silent leaves drift down
of red and gold and perfect copper brown
then Winter's hushing snowflake carpet
hides the dirty tracks of arrogant Man
the Silence —
there, in Nature's silence
is where you
will find God
I wrote this when we took my father's ashes to Minnesota in September 1991.
© Gary Edward Nordell 1991, all rights reserved
back to G.E. Nordell's Poetry Index
|
back to G.E. Nordell's Writings Index