Gulls and Doves

On overnight excursions
Into nature's deepest coves
When the only others are
Gulls, deer, coyote, and doves

When the only sound of night
Goes cheep, cheep, cheep
And the chorus sings and sings
Until I fall asleep

When the only blossoms are
Wild, random, and free
When the finch and the sparrow
Are calling out to me

That's when I know
I'm serenely in my place
Among the highest evolved
Of the natural race

October chill
summer so soon gone
hot cider

a family tree book
of 600 pages
and 600 ancestors
stretching back
through centuries
discovered
grave sites
tramped down grasses
overgrown
in the woods

a turkey crosses the path
to join his flock in the woods
strolling casually
resembling
ladies walking home from church
on a Sunday
no hurry
taking their time