Enchantments 2016

3-min video just out of our August-2016 trip  plus my poem inspired by the experience

A Place Like This / Mark Seker / Inspired by the Enchantments, WA Cascades / August 2016

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A place like this reveals the blue grouse so near 

and her family appears, four so dear

to share this trail and linger with me 

With stars so many I cannot see the normal shapes

and meteors streak oh my how bright 

Did you see that one over there? 

With water so clear I drink with no doubt 

A place like this has rushing falls nonstop from my start

Natural noise the kind that calms and won’t stop

Ice fields melt over falls short and tall

and brooks babbling

Then, silence 

Best of all… the silence

Iceberg lakes in August light

Stark landscape black and white

Yet wait was that a verdant wild garden

with spring flowers 

I just walked through?

Green life, sky blue, white snow, black rock, 

purple, look close

then blend to the palette 

The sheep without fear, as if I’m not here 

Mom with her kid

and another pair over there

and again in my camp

I mean their camp not mine

Where is the trail?

I’m used to a trail, this is remote. 

Do we need a trail?

They don’t

A place like this with fish 

I can see 

And the osprey so close

the fish never saw until… too late

What is that fragrance?  

So strong without break

So sweet, I slow 

to breathe, eyes closed

Granite so hard, as if permanent

Jagged tops, smooth domes to walk

Yet a tree I see sprouts life 

in that tiny crack

A place like this 

Was that a dream 

or was I just there?