Majesty

Folks here in the Canadian Rockies

will tell you that they are ruled by

Her Majesty, the Queen.

But, on this vacation,

I have seen true majesty.

He stands erect and tall,

white head crowned with cloud,

snowy mane blowing free,

brawny arms holding

bighorn sheep, moose, chipmunks,

bears, cougars, and wolves.

He wears a kilt of multihued green

and dips his toes

in purest glacial streams.

Copyright ©2018, Paul H. Harder II

This poem is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 License.

Composed during a wonderful vacation to the Banff and Jasper National Parks, in Alberta, Canada; with Kathleen, Niki, Brayden, and Cameron.

Life

What is this puny stick that

has the audacity to spoil my view

of the green-blue water of Lake Louise

and the majestic rock face that

stands watch above?

Does this twig have aspirations of

achieving the grandeur of

the trees at my back?

As I write these thoughts

— smack —

squadrons of mosquitoes

harry my face and hands.

Beside me are small yellow flowers.

Something, somewhere smells sweet.

How is there a seagull

sitting on the rocks, at 5700 feet,

over 300 miles from the coast?

From this bench,

I see grasses and shrubs

that I don’t recognize,

courageously sprouting

from the rocks of the lake shore.

I look back up to that rock face.

At its base are more scraggly trees

like my hopeful sapling,

bravely clinging to the idea that

life has a strong future.

Copyright ©2018, Paul H. Harder II

This poem is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 License.

Waiting

In a Houston airport departure lounge,

watching our grandsons as they fidget and bounce,

I see that a difference between youth and age

is that the young don’t yet know how to wait.

Waiting’s an art that comes only with time,

a skill that’s developed by standing in line

or sitting to watch for a thing to occur.

It grows toward perfection as people mature.

And this is one skill that will pay a reward;

for, if you are patient, while you’re being bored,

the amazing and useful may come into mind.

In veteran poets, this skill’s well refined.

Copyright ©2018, Paul H. Harder II

This poem is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 License.