On My Walk Today (c)

On my walk today, 

I saw five deer and two blue herons,

And they saw me too!

The deer ran away,

But the herons remained.

It's times like these when 

I breathe in -- 

Started by the joy

Of such a delight;

the last time was in Paris

two years ago.

(Ah, to wake up in there is something else!)

On my walk today

The deer posed motionless

In front of the ancient,

Wrought-iron fence

Enclosing the house,

(Still stately after two centuries).

It sits alone --

High on a hill

Amid the groves of trees

And daffodiles.

Dark clouds gather,

And I head home --

Up the hill,

And down the hill,

And along the meandering paths --

Past

aged tree trunks,

And clumps

Of ferns and wiregrass --

Past

The now deserted golf course

That now serves

As a refuge

For deer and herons,

Owls,

And streams that grace the land,

As old as time.

Back to my house now,

Feeling blessed,

Rejuvenated

By these things, so near to me.

It is hot,

And the sun has been causing me

To sweat bullits.

I pause in the shade

Of a neighbor's tree,

Then continue on.

Should I be so lucky

To have these things

So close by.

Back home,

The clothes come off,

And I'm naked,

Watching the rain fall

Cooling off

In front of the fan,

While I reflect on these scenes

Of the town.