every morning
now
early
my day’s salvation
becomes
an hour’s start
on a semi-deserted
country trail..
often, i share this
trek
with
an occasional
bike person
a breathless runner
or two
and an old woman
who speedwalks past
me
every time…
i make the requisite
eye contact
mumble a ‘mornin’
and continue on
breathing the air
digging the zen
of this solitude
listening for rustling
in the bushes
and watching the sun
make its mark through
the trees
this morning ritual
creates the template
for the day…
today, doves
whisked their brood
to the other side
of the path..
a rabbit
a feral kitten
and the sudden sun
around the bend
hoped for my distraction
and got it…