Perspectives

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet

and the winds long to play with your hair - Kahlil Gibran

We listen to Earth beat but our sounds

skip to different rhythms. You look at this

landscape but do not hear, do not feel or

see the same. Like lava, sticky sap flows,

oozes in treacle marbles from ancient

lichen-covered limbs. Anurous skinks scurry.

A small lace monitor makes scratchy sounds

in streaks across silky-oak floors. Flocks

of scarlet-headed finches flit in frenzied

flecks of color. Green frog croaks like a

distant didgeridoo; goanna races in rustling

sprints up high-rise trees. Slender hooded

orchids greet light, stretch tall in waving,

shaking shadows-stirred, mottled

perspectives. Yet, you say that you feel

quite alone, unmoved by friendly calls

of the crickets or cicadas.

~~~

first published at https://www.angelfire.com/zine/bluefifth/Fall2006/poems1F06.html