Listen to the Quiet

 

When you reach the heart of the desert,

under the vast dome of blue sky,

and walk into the deep silence,

will you then feel the presence

of our Creator God?

Will you stand among the tall Saguaro

and feel small next to their height?

Will you be astonished

at the diversity of cactus species,

and how they survive in this arid land?

 

Can you abide the pure stillness?

Find comfort in tranquility?

Listen to the quiet?

© 2022 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. 2. 4. Catalina State Park - Tucson, Arizona

3. Saguaro National Park - Tucson, Arizona

Temporary

Like the soft linen
of newly-formed clouds,
when I arrange words on a page,
I'm not always sure of the source.

I let them find each other,
and gather into tentative groups,
like the temporary lives 
of mountain wildflowers.

Perhaps my words will pulsate
with warmth inside your heart
like the brief  glow of evening
on a slow moving river.

Or, maybe fresh new words
will surprise the writer;
words hidden just beyond
the next bend in the road.

Or, the words could identify with
the feeling of acute awareness
that you notice when the wind
temporarily stops. 

© 2022 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Tucson, Arizona

2. Columbine ~ Telluride, Colorado

3. Grand River - Grand Rapids, Michigan

4. Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Dawn Gives Birth to Color

For John D'Amico

Sitting on a boulder,
surrounded by desert,
savoring the silence,
lingering in solitude.

Darkness has dissolved. 
Morning has broken.

Before shadows arrive,
dawn gives birth to color.

© 2019 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Saguaro National Park ~ West -Tucson, Arizona

2. Pontatoc Canyon Trail - Santa Catalina Mountains - Tucson, Arizona

3. Finger Rock Trail - Santa Catalina Mountains - Tucson, Arizona

Walk With You

Upon the shoulders of mountains,
under the vast roof of stars,
I will walk with you.

Along the ribbons of rivers,
along the shallow shore,
I will walk with you.

In the cathedral of trees,
on desert paths of cactus,
I will walk with you.

Within choirs of birdsong,
and evenings of crickets,
I will walk with you.

All the days of this life
God has given me to live,
I will walk with you.

Please come along
on this trail of life,
and walk with me.

© 2018 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. West Elk Wilderness - Gunnison National Forest - Colorado

2. Crested Butte - Colorado

3. Sunset Beach - North Carolina

4. Tucson, Arizona

5. Cannonsburg State Game Area - Kent County - Michigan

6. Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming

Warmed by Words

As you sit here
with these lines
flowing over you,

may you be warmed
by these words
like the welcomed sunshine

of early spring
warms the skin
on your grateful face.

As you walk outside,
whether in mountains or meadows,
may a stream of blessings
wash over you.

May your eyes be young again
so you will recognize
the daily invitations
that secretly surround you.

May you become an earthen vessel
filled with creativity and awareness,
mindful of sharing these sacred gifts
with illuminated reverence and gratitude. 

© 2017 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Canon Township - Kent County, Michigan

2. Santa Catalina Mountains ~ Tucson, Arizona 

Desert Dreams

After sunset,
red clouds flare and
flame against the sky.

As dusk becomes night,
the silence of the desert
grows vast and deep.

A splinter of moon
moves through
a spatter of stars.

Closing the tent,
I thank God 
for this day.

Closing my eyes, 
I wait for dreams
to be born.

© 2016 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Tucson, Arizona 

2. Home

Touchstone

I am 
trying to hold
this moment
in time
with preserving words;

until you
can meet me here
just beyond the gate,
at this touchstone
of inspiration and faith,

where, upon reflection,
like water upon rock,
praise and gratitude meet
to become one. 

© 2016 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Parnell, Michigan 

2. Yosemite National Park - California 

3. Santa Catalina Mountains - Tucson, Arizona

Receptive

Under the thin shade of palo verde
my thoughts are carried
through quiet desert air.

The world beyond
slowly empties from my mind.
I am learning how to  concentrate, 
pay attention to God's creation,
and share it with you;
and now I invite you 
into this poem,
to witness...

how this light breeze
kisses the soft lips of poppy petals;

the way sunlight splashes the
foothills scattered with Saguaro,

or reddens the sandstone ridges;

to recall memory's 
silent treasures
being brought to light;
every year is
full of days being born,
again, and again;
all those yesterdays
giving birth to today
with hope for tomorrow.

What we see in nature is 
borrowed from our gift of days.
Carried now 
by the quiet music of poetry
into gentle souls, 
receptive and richly blessed.

© 2015 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Catalina State Park - Tucson, Arizona 

2. Saguaro National Park - (West) - Tucson, Arizona

3. Pusch Ridge Wilderness - Ventana Canyon - Tucson, Arizona

Light

"I am the light of the world, says the Lord; 
whoever follows me will have the light of life." John 8:12

"Live as children of light..." Eph. 5:8

"To love beauty is to see the light." ~ Victor Hugo

Photo Locations:

1. Home Woods - Cannonsburg, Michigan  

2. La Jolla, California 

3. Gallatin Range - Pray, Montana 

4. Santa Catalina Mountains - Tucson, Arizona 

Stone Chalice: Sound Within Silence

While the desert below
exhales the evening,
up here on the granite ridge
twilight is held briefly
upon the surface 
of golden pools.

I accept the invitation to sit,
to watch, to listen, 
and absorb.

These bones of granite
cup this fluid 
of the earth.
Tinájas. Water pockets.
Small chambers of
liquid stillness,
waiting to play
Sonoran music in these
Santa Catalina Mountains.

Boulders squeeze
these pools into tiny, 
dripping sounds,
like the smallest
of hand bells; 
played by the very hands
of creation.

Now, years later,
as in trying
to recall a dream,
it is difficult to 
remember this 
sound within silence,
this stone chalice,
while waiting 
for another miracle.

© 2015 Richard Havenga

Photo Location:

Santa Catalina Mountains, (Coronado National Forest)  Tucson,  Arizona  

Patience

Photo Location:

Saguaro National Park - (East) , Tucson, Arizona 

Soft Mystery

What soft mystery
is developing 
inside the purity
of this  white 
cactus flower?

A ring of spectators
circles the stage
to witness,
or to participate in,
a pollination ballet. 

© 2014 Richard Havenga

Dedicated to:
Joanne Jaglowski - Ballerina extraordinaire. 


You may also like: "Pollination Ballet" - June 3, 2013


Photo Location:

Saguaro National Park - Tucson,  Arizona 

to climb

sculptured mountain peak

an invitation to climb

into the blue sky

Photo Location:

Ventana Canyon,  Coronado National Forest,  Santa Catalina Mountains, Tucson,  Arizona  

resting

boulders trap sunset

resting in small mountain pools

surrender at dusk

Photo Location:

Ventana Canyon,  Coronado National Forest,  Santa Catalina Mountains,  Tucson,  Arizona 

Photo Haiku - Bird Series 2

watchful and ready
perched and crouched for the next strike
stalker in wetlands

sudden appearance
black and blue package of life
focused alertness

plump with plume on head
a curved exclamation mark
explodes into flight


You may also enjoy: Photo Haiku - Bird Series  June 14, 2012


Photo Locations:

1. Corkscrew Woodlands,  (Corkscrew)  Estero,  (Estero)  Florida (Florida) 

2. Home Woods,  Cannonsburg,  (Cannonsburg)  Michigan (Michigan) 

3. SaddleBrooke,  (SaddleBrooke)  Tucson,  (Tucson)  Arizona  (Arizona) 


Identification:

1. Green Heron - Butorides virescens

2. Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata

3. Gambel's Quail - Callipepla gambelii

Photo Haiku - Cactus

perfectly balanced,

oval, green pancakes with spines

Prickly Pear Cactus

lean desert tower

surviving another drought

four arms are weary



Barrel Cactus buds

have a red and green Christmas

be careful, stay sharp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Click on photos to enlarge) 

 

 

 

Photo Locations: 

 

1.  Zion National Park,   (Zion)  Utah

 

2.  Saguaro National Park - East,   (Saguaro)  Tucson,  (Tucson)  Arizona

 

3.  Oro Valley,  (Oro Valley)  Arizona