Rest

Silky Lupine - Lupinus sericeus

Photo Location: Gunnison,  Colorado 

velvet dusk

the velvet dusk sweeps slowly
through the atmosphere,
softens the day's outlines,
smooths the shadow's borders,
deepens the night's darkness,
invites the stars' return,
embraces the soul's peace.

©  2014  Richard Havenga

Photo Location:

Pickerel Lake Park - Fred Meijer Nature Preserve, (Fred Meijer) Kent County, Michigan

narrow

tiny Spring Peeper

narrower than a petal,

waiting for nightfall

©  2014  Richard Havenga

CLICK on photo to enlarge.

Gray Tree Frog - Hyla versicolor

Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta

Photo Location:  Home Garden

Dreams of Birds

Birds of late evening
enter this theater of leaves,
and disappear in the green balcony.

As another dusk deepens,
their grip on twigs tightens,
then some kind of sleep happens.

Do they dream of sheltering trees,
or immaculate folds of bright cumulus,
as they sail vast oceans of sky?

©  2014  Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Home Woods

2. & 3. Pickerel Lake Park - Fred Meijer Nature Preserve, (Fred Meijer) Kent County, Michigan 

Tides

tides work endlessly

measuring the flow of time;

immeasurable

©  2014  Richard Havenga

CLICK on photos to enlarge.

Photo Location:  Sunset Beach,  (Sunset) North Carolina (North Carolina) 

Silent Wings

Above the calm lake,
swallows slice
on silent wings
through the purpling
shadows of dusk.

I think I can hear
their chattering small talk:
of mosquitoes and midges,
the hunting is good,
their confident flight.

Pursuing with passion
a swift, winged life
of grace and precision
during these long days
of warm months.

Soon, their sleek bodies
meet their shadows,
as evening ends
their silent flight. 

©  2014  Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1,2,3, Pickerel Lake Park,  (Fred Meijer Nature Preserve) (Pickerel) Kent County,  Michigan

4,5,  Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve, (Saul Lake) (Nature Conservancy), Kent County, Michigan


Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor

September Morning

Fresh, is this
September morning.
The welcomed coolness
condenses dew
on all things green.

The afternoon hours
are warmed by the sun,
and a red dragonfly
lands on my notebook—

tilts his head twice,
wants me to write about 
the pulsing, 
red and black segments
of his slender abdomen,

and the way the sun
shimmers through
his netted veins.

How many more days
will the dragonflies,
zipping for insects
overhead,
sail their shadows
upon my page?

©  2014  Richard Havenga

Read about another "literate insect" @ page thirteen August 28, 2013. 

Through the Ears

Birdsong in the morning
helps to launch the day;

gives character 
to the hours;

invites attention
through the ears;

increases interest
through the years.

©  2014  Richard Havenga

CLICK on photos to enlarge.

Photo Locations: 

1. Indigo Bunting - Egypt Valley State Game Area,  Kent County,  Michigan

2. Bobolink - Allegan State Game Area,  Allegan County, Michigan

3. Common Yellowthroat - Wabasis Lake Park,  Kent County,  Michigan

4. Wood Thrush - Home Woods -  Cannonsburg,  Michigan

CLICK the links below to hear the Songs and Calls from Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

1. Indigo Bunting

2. Bobolink

3. Common Yellowthroat

4. Wood Thrush

John Ruskin

"Let every dawn be to you as the beginning of life,

and every setting sun be to you as its close."

— John Ruskin (1819-1900)

Photo Locations: 

1. Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, (Teton)  Wyoming (Wyoming) 

2. Bozeman, (MSU) Montana (Montana) 

Photo Haiku - Bird Series 3

deep-in-the-swamp song

large voice from a small brown bird

Carolina Wren

©  2014  Richard Havenga

rattling cackle

this Red-bellied Woodpecker

wears checkered jacket

©  2014  Richard Havenga

nasal announcements

from gray and white acrobat

White-breasted Nuthatch

©  2014  Richard Havenga

You may also enjoy:

Photo Haiku Bird Series - June 14, 2012

Photo Haiku - Bird Series 2 - Feb. 24, 2014

CLICK on photos to enlarge.

Photo Location:

1. 6 Mile Cypress Slough,  Fort Myers,  Florida

2. Sugden Park,  Naples,  Florida

3. Home Woods,  Cannonsburg,  Michigan

Bird ID and songs:

1. Carolina Wren - Thryóthorus ludoviciánus    Song: Cornell Labs 

2. Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanérpes carolínus   Song:  Cornell Labs 

3. White-breasted Nuthatch - Sítta carolinénsis   Song:  Cornell Labs 

Cathedral

When daylight diminishes
in the slot canyons,
conical sandstone peaks
gather late light.
Offer a warm glow 
before dusk arrives.

Sage, Juniper, and Pinyon Pine
combine their fragrances
into a high-desert incense:
inhaled, absorbed, remembered— 
resembling worship 
in this quiet cathedral. 

A perfect place
to point prayers of praise
toward heaven, 
and to listen
among the silent steeples
for God's voice.

©  2014  Richard Havenga

CLICK on photos to enlarge.

Photo Location:  

Pocket Mesa, Kolob Terrace, Zion National Park, (Zion) Utah (Utah)

Slow Dance

When night fell,
the clouds withdrew,
like a curtain 
opening on a dark stage.

After midnight,
I took my place,
to watch
the silent performance.

Intermittently,
Perseus streaked
through the scene.
Each time a quick surprise.

While white stars
continued
their slow dance
across the black sky...

to the music of
universal silence. 

©  2014  Richard Havenga

WWFN: Special Edition

This summary of my work is found at Blue Heron Review where I am the "Featured Poet" for the September issue:

Richard Havenga seeks to make the ordinary extraordinary through close, personal observations of nature. Weaving words of grace and gratitude through the tapestry of his exquisite photographs, Richard shares everyday miracles with the rigorous curiosity of a naturalist, and the immeasurable perceptions of an artist. Richard writes with a supple blend of awareness, spirituality, and discovery. Always attentive outdoors, always searching for new epiphanies of beauty, always grateful for the extravagant gifts of creation, he leads the reader-viewer along an inviting trail of words and images; gifts thoughtfully selected, and graciously given. Richard Havenga is a writer, nature photographer, poet, teacher, naturalist, and author of the blog, “Walk With Father Nature”. He’s been married to his loving wife, Mary, for 43 years. They live on ten wooded acres, on a designated “Natural Beauty” road near Cannonsburg, Michigan. Find out more about this author:

Blog: http://walkwithfathernature.blogspot.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/richardhavenga/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=201360611&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/richardlhavenga/services

Blue Heron Review 

My deepest gratitude goes out to Cristina Norcross, an excellent poet and the eminent Editor of Blue Heron Review.

Please click Blue Heron Review and Cristina Norcross (above) to learn more.

Photo Location:  Rogue River,  (Rogue) Rockford,  (Rockford) Michigan (Michigan) 

Tree of Heaven

fingers giving praise

Ailanthus altissima

this Tree of Heaven

©  2014  Richard Havenga

CLICK on photo to enlarge.

Tree of Heaven - Ailanthus altissima

Photo Location:  Boulder, (Boulder) Colorado   (Colorado)