List of things I don’t want to miss this year in nature

 

Tree limbs etching the pale sky, 

arms reaching to embrace birds, clouds, the moon at night.

 

The first blush of pink and gold at dawn.

 

The dance of sunlight on pond water, 

dark shadows emerging as geese in the newborn light.

 

Sunsets – Every. Single. One.

 

The first glimpse of a violet, the burst of a lilac bud, 

new green spears of daffodils emerging.

 

The delicate tendrils of pea vines climbing a bit of string.

 

The first blush of new leaves, every tree offering 

a paler version of its future glorious autumn self.

 

The silvery whisper of leaves before a storm, 

the darkening of the sky, thunderously purple, 

black, roiling clouds split with shards of white light.

 

Strings of water droplets along tree branches after a rain, 

a chorus line of bubble-trapped rainbows.

 

Lying in deep meadow grass, eyes closed, ears open.

 

Sitting quietly among the cornstalks, 

listening to the leaves whisper.

 

Looking up at night to the stars that stretch forever 

into the dark.