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?