Long overdue

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By Chris Heeter

I was long overdue for a walk in the fields,
away from whirring fans
and shades drawn against the heat.
Away from ringing phones
and minds buzzing with schedules and possibilities.
Even away from rich conversation,
and people that I love.

As I let the walk take me,
bird song awakens my spirit.
A hawk bursts forth from a nearby tree
with a whoosh of red-brown feathers.
A gentle breeze plays with leaf shadows.
My heart begins to relax.

Even the deer skull on my path
served only to speak of life and death
and the rhythms of a natural world.

And finally, thankfully,
the endless dialogue
between my own two ears
begins to slow,
quieting in the light
of this beautiful summer morning.

Chris Heeter runs the Wild Institute and posts a poem every Wednesday. You can sign up to receive Wild Thoughts weekly by e-mail. A collection of her poetry has been published by Yileen Press.

Image by arichitk2