thankfulness

for the smell of leaves and the crack of the spine of a new book

fingers tracing across pages    a tactile diversion (& sight is many things)

for the welcome interposition of loveliness between ordinary things

and for my sometimes wanderings between aspen and pine

also for the way words wander from my intention and are changed

always changing    a living creature no one on earth can control

and also for the hooves of horses and the throats of birds    the sounds

which help in their simple design (& elegant instinct) to improve everything

and also    more than any of these    for the touch of another human being

a connection to leap across the void     a spark that gives us purpose.