KAREN PETERSEN

★ ★ ★ ★

POETRY

So Let’s Go

So let’s go,
you and I
with cicada, whippoorwill, firefly
into this night’s dusky embrace

let’s vanish without a trace

the woods hold all manner of secrets
why not a few more?
you promised me many tomorrows,
yesterday

fragile things,
butterflies, love and roses,
they crush so easily.

Bergistrall

Climb up,
breathless,
into a sweep
of mountain.
At last,
clouds.
Echoes fly
among the rocks,
hard edged,
impenetrable.
Ting, Ting, Ting,
goat’s bell intrusion.

The Walk

I went for a walk in a dark-gladed wood
among the ferns and hellebores
An orange-striped cat was by my side
and I wanted to see what he could.

We wandered through the leaf-laden brush
between the pines and oaks
As shadows fell the forest rose
and we were alone in the hush.

I made a wish to stay the night
meandering through the glade
the moon rose high so it could see
the cat, the trees and me.

Dark green and silver all plants appeared
like ghostly spirits they were
our silent companions everywhere
their world we did not fear.

As morning came with sunlight’s smile
the magic spell was broken
but it will return any time I remember
to stop in the woods a while.