rhododendron blossoms everywhere

gratuitous acts of beauty

gratuitous acts of beauty whelp everywhere in nature

if we but put ourselves in place for them

and then if we have the eye to notice,

time passing drops blossoms from rose bay rhododendron

on variegated forest floor





















 and on pale lichen-splotched, moss gentled rocks,

as if petals strewn by celebrants at a wedding:

soft-white, 5 petaled mountain stars 

with a hole in the middle to draw the eye in,

and, on the way, to notice a trademark patch of green,

blossom after blossom drop 

and some drift with the current down streams

who already pull tired hearts toward rejuvenation,

and, with the blossoms adoring them, grace us even more,

a patch of liverworts grabs my attention,

an ancient synthesis of fungus and algae:

light-green flat fingers of purpose

that I often don’t notice,

I need to be there in nature,

and then I need to notice such gratuitous acts of beauty.

by Henry H. Walker

June 28, ‘15