Morning News

February 3, 2026 by carole, posted in photographs, Poem, Uncategorized

A whale named Moon, spine broken by a big ship,
unable to dive for food.
emaciated, swims 3,000 miles
to die of starvation in the winter feeding grounds.

The moon rises over the stark winter marked trees
breeze gentle by my ear
as stars witness the rising sun.

An old woman begs the soldiers to leave her family alone
We just want to live our lives, care for each other.
So the soldiers laugh
shoot her husband, rape her and her daughters
steal their food, burn their house.

Grasses in the field, dried wild flowers
wave and clack in midday air.
Sparrows squabble over seed lying on the ground.
A fox crosses the road toward beckoning hill.

An elephant is shot, stripped of her tusks
her corpse left to rot in hot sunlight
while her calf looks on trumpeting in fear and grief, not understanding.
What can I do but witness your suffering?

I don’t know what to do with this.
Some days my prayer books are no help.

©caf

A Mother’s Blessing

December 8, 2025 by carole, posted in photographs, Poem, Uncategorized

Imagine how happy Earth was
the day you opened your new born eyes
and drew your first breath

in a green forest that
sheltered unfolding ferns, wildflowers, fledglings
and you – an innocent fawn.

The mourning doves cooed,
ground hogs danced
the nearby hills murmured with astonishment.

Others gathered to see you
sniff your freshness
admire your raw, emerging awareness

And the forest sang you a birthing song
of greeting and sheltering …

Welcome new one to a space of wonder,
fields, streams, sunshine and rain.
This will be your home for a short while
until the Spirit that birthed you calls you home.

May your wildness be a blessing
a beacon for all to see how plain innocence
can be a way of life,
and unconditional living
is the truest nature of all creatures.

May you grow in grace and ease.
May confident peace and joy
move freely through your soul.

May you know wonder as a friend
and parcel of your own nature.
May you find comfort in the soul
that weaves all together
and is your truest home.

Amen.

©poem and photo by caf

Whence Coffee?

November 13, 2025November 13, 2025 by carole, posted in photographs, Poem, Uncategorized

What is this liquid heat I have guzzled on mornings beyond count?
Is it dirt – black and grainy?
Is it root or bark – ground and bitter without any sweetness?
From where does it collect its flavor?
Does the sun, source of fire and warmth
add to its astringent taste?
Like a soul, it must be finely ground
to be useful.
Some say it comes from a bean grown on tree or bush.
I say it is liquid Earth
black, oily delight for my spirit.

©poem and photo by caf

Remember

October 28, 2025October 28, 2025 by carole, posted in photographs, Poem, Uncategorized

Consider the Great Love
who first imagined you
constructed your soul and body
instilled your breath
distilled the beat of stars into your heart.

Recall the river
who entered your spine at birth
and runs up and down
flowing through your limbs and organs
whose glittering surface
shines through your eyes and face.

Consider you did not will any of this to happen
It occurred by grace of Life.
You made a space for it
as air makes space for birds
holding them up gently on currents
as it does also with clouds.

Remember the Great Love
the river
the air and clouds
for they are the truest self you have.

©poem and photo by caf

A Prayer With Commentary by Wind

October 12, 2025 by carole, posted in photographs, Poem, Uncategorized

Wind wanders through trees

touching leaves

blessing rocks, waters and Earth

teaching herself about them

and her own limits.

Forest,

home to Common Raven and Wren

rock and leaf

moss and ice,

blow from me the anxious breath of past storms

and replace it with calm certainty and peaceful grace.

As geese assume the currents

that carry them

may the flow seeking me

find me quickly and carry me aloft.

Wind says

I am curiosity

I cannot blow myself,

still my breath touches these things I see.

I am my own breath.

You are a Common Human,

but extraordinary in your Being.

How could you be otherwise

having breathed My sacred air.

©photo and poem by caf

Beyond the Chair

October 1, 2025October 2, 2025 by carole, posted in Uncategorized

Beyond the chair

the window

the tree outside

and past that the field

and further still a hill sheltered by trees.

The one who lives on the hill dwells in fog,

in rain, snow, sun, fallen leaves

and from these things

she gathers to herself her own self

the essence of her particular thoughts and sentences.

Her life.

And with this life she opens to sky,

clouds, air and sun until

her spirit flies into space, freedom without barriers.

Until she clearly and plainly hears

what she has to say to heaven

©photo and poem by caf

A Carefree Day by the Lake

September 18, 2025September 24, 2025 by carole, posted in photographs, Poem, Uncategorized

Friendly morning Moon rests over Thompson’s Lake
a beacon
between Earth and Heaven
sending light to her vision.

She blows at clouds hoping to scatter them
and failing that
offers her breath
as more clouds to sky

Forgetting insanity and madness
she lies on the earth
as lightness comes to the world
in this moment.

The cardinal’s morning song
adds counterpoint to wind chimes’ belling tones.
Standing, washed by wind
her grateful heart baths in the rising sun.

She says:
We used to fly like swallows
magic in and around our wings.
Earth is a kind womb and gentle grave,
who can say what lies between those seasons?

Gratitude and kindness make us powerful.
Can we remember this?

©photo and poem by caf

Comes the Dark

December 20, 2023September 24, 2025 by carole, posted in photographs, Poem, Uncategorized

Darkness, you bring rich deepness

and tantalizing mystery

both blessing and fear

stealing blankets of warmth

from our comfortable resting place.

You show us stars, planets, galaxies not visible

when you withdraw.

You clothe our world in a blanket of cold,

a womb sheltering the seeds of dramatic sunrise.

You are our Mother as much as Earth

When light appears over the curvature

bathing our faces with tender regard

you take only partial leave

lingering in shadows and making a home

under our hats,

hiding in our marrow

like a kernel of corn in a field

awaiting the sun

to stir its birth.

You bring us dreams –

relief from ordinary life

an existence outside of sometimes banal days.

I would not give you up

nor ask you to stop returning,

for you help me see the substance

gleaming daylight often hides

behind her skirts

Truth hidden by the bright light of the sun

Passing the Light

November 29, 2023September 24, 2025 by carole, posted in photographs, Poem, Uncategorized

Lazy moon in her bed of night sky

makes no light of her own

but only reflects the sun

and trusts the earth to keep her orbit steady.

She lights our darkest world

and her burnished body covers the pines in lacy glow and shadow.

Yes, this spoiled child creates miracles of beauty while doing nothing

but sharing the light she has been given.