Yutori

When we decide to slow down,

to leave the phone at home,

and go outdoors to engage in

intentional listening,

we will be practicing

the concept of yutori.

And we will be rewarded

as we contemplate

our life space,

and express gratitude to God

for our experiences outdoors.

A soft breeze whispering through

the fine needles of White Pine.

Birdsong streaming from

the density of green woods.

The rapids of a mountain stream

rushing over rocks, splashing boulders.

The faint chirp of crickets

on a late summer evening.

Gifts we can give ourselves.

When we decide to listen.

© 2026 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. White Pine - Townsend Park - Kent County - Michigan

2. Indigo Bunting - Cannonsburg State Game Area - Kent County - Michigan

3. Taylor River - Gunnison County - Colorado

Ear Buds

 

I never have,

nor will I ever start,

to use headphones,

ear buds, etcetera,

when I'm running outdoors.

I prefer to hear

the music of nature

along quiet country roads.

Songs from the Indigo Bunting,

Scarlet Tanager, Yellow Warbler,

or a distant Eastern Meadowlark.

A fall flock of Canada Geese.

An ambitious wind in the trees.

The rising rapids in rivers. 

Rigorous waves on Lake Michigan.

All sounds superior,

to my favorite symphonies

by Haydn or Beethoven.

© 2025 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Indigo Bunting - Grattan Township - Kent County - Michigan

2. Scarlet Tanager - Home Woods - Kent County - Michigan

3. Yellow Warbler - Home Woods - Kent County - Michigan

4. Canada Geese - Saul Lake Bog - Kent County - Michigan

5. Grand Haven State Park - Michigan

rsvp

 

My God sends me

frequent invitations

to open the door

and go outside.

I always rsvp, and bring along,

as the invitation requests,

the gift of my senses;

my awareness and appreciation

of his awesome creation.

© 2025 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Ada Township - Kent County - Michigan

2. Creede, Colorado

Willing Witness

 

If I should ever be summoned,

I would be a willing witness.

When placed on the stand,

I would raise my right hand,

and swear to tell the truth,

and the whole truth,

so God would help me recall

the multiple miracles of creation

that I've witnessed outdoors

during my life of abundant blessings.

© 2025 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Townsend Park - Kent County - Michigan

2. SaddleBrooke, Arizona 

Measured Miles

 

I'm out here again,

running against the wind.

Grateful to God

that I can still accomplish

these measured miles.

Accepting the challenges of

weather, hills, heat and cold.

Thankful for my lungs, legs,

strength and stamina.

Accepting limitations, but

persevering in my mid-seventies,

confident in the coming years.

Ready to run these measured miles

for another chance to taste

all four seasons outdoors.

© 2025 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Kaua'i, Hawaii  (Please note: In the Hawaii photo I'm only 58 years old.)

2. Castle Valley, Utah (In the Utah photo I'm 72 years old.)

3. December 16, 2024, was my 77th Birthday.

4. This is Poem # 1,025 since I began writing Poetry in 2012.

Quiet Poet

 

When I was a child,

a boy walking outdoors,

the meanings were faint,

but my eyes were large.

Then, as a young adult,

a man walking outdoors,

with focused awareness

and explicit intentions.

Now, an older man with a gentle spirit,

collecting images, gathering words,

sorting meaning into lines,

pursuing truth and beauty.

Working to fill the page.

Seeking fulfillment.

Giving gratitude. Sharing.

Revealing the heart of a quiet poet.

© 2024 Richard Havenga

Birdies While Golfing

 

Walking down the fairway

approaching my well-hit ball,

this challenging game of  golf

has several benefits for all.

At hole number one it's obvious:

you get to be outdoors;

observing dynamic skies

and all this nature can be yours.

I'm hearing Eastern Bluebirds

fly from tree to tree,

watching them snatch small insects

that I can't even see.

Then a Red-tailed Hawk 

sweeps and sails into view,

riding on summer thermals,

another distraction for you.

And down in the wetland,

a group of Canada Geese,

dabbling in shallow water,

paddling and feeding in peace.

And so by the time we begin

our putting at number eighteen,

I've scored a lot more birdies

than my partners from tee to green.

© 2024 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. & 2. Home Woods - Cannonsburg, Michigan

3.  Pickerel Lake Park - Fred Meijer Nature Preserve - Kent County - Michigan

Little Boy on a Swing

 

Occasionally, in my travels,

I become a tourist of the past.

Returning to the locations

of old black and white photographs.

Here's a little boy on a swing,

swinging in his yard from a tree.

He seems to like being outdoors.

They used to call him Dickie Lee.

© 2023 Richard L. Havenga

Photo Credit: Lillian Havenga © 1951 (me age 3)

Reading Outdoors

 

Oh, the many benefits

of reading outdoors:

The sun shining brightly

on the pages of your book.

Tree shadows passing

over the paragraphs.

Perhaps golden leaves

landing in your lap.

A small choir of birds

singing in the background.

Or a clamorous crowd of geese

causing you to look up.

Occasional bursts of wind

turning the pages for you.

Dragonflies landing on the lines,

walking on the words.

Maybe a cool stream

trickling over your toes.

Or the sound of gentle ripples

entering your ears.

All these welcome distractions

affecting your concentration.

Causing you to get paper and pen.

Following the urge to write outdoors.

© 2023 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Fallasburg Park - Lowell, Michigan

2. Tassell Park - Cascade, Michigan

3. Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve - Parnell, Michigan

4. Home Woods - Cannonsburg, Michigan

5. SaddleBrooke - Arizona

Bathed in the Light

It's impossible to take

the vast outdoors

inside ourselves,

but it is possible

to take ourselves

into the vast outdoors,

where you can be

bathed in the light

that streams in soft rays

between the trees

that are likely 

older than you,

and sending you

this personal

invitation.

© 2023 Richard Havenga

Photo Location: Home Woods/Home Road - Cannonsburg, Michigan

Crusader

 

Within each poem,

using my pen

and my camera,

I am leaving evidence

of a life lived outdoors,

as a lover of nature,

an advocate

for the astonishing

miracles of nature.

A crusader for God's creation.

© 2023 Richard Havenga

Photo Location: Home Garden (Scarlet Hibiscus) - Cannonsburg, Michigan

Indoors

 

The long daylight

of our summer days

has diminished,

has been replaced

by late afternoon dusks.

Dusks that introduce

nights of long darkness.

So, less time outdoors

for work and recreation,

but more time indoors

for quiet hours of reading,

and time for writing

poems about light.

© 2022 Richard Havenga

Photo Location: Loveland, Colorado

Evaluator

 

Does fluency flow more freely

during the dark, silent night

than during the glare of daylight?

Are words more keenly felt

along musical mountain streams

than by broad, brown rivers?

I volunteer to be the poet

to evaluate various writing opportunities

in a variety of outdoor locations.

Here I go...

© 2022 Richard Havenga

Photo Location: Blackfoot River - Missoula, Montana

Losing Light

 

Dusk carries a delicate sadness;

especially in autumn,

when daylight diminishes

day to day.

You look up through the trees,

and the splotches of bright

you expected to see

have already grown dim.

Your time spent outdoors shortens;

precious time on the deck,

valuable hours of reading,

memorable moments of writing,

eating lunch and dinner

in the summer sun,

while listening to birds

in the background,

hidden in the woods.

Losing nearly three minutes a day;

a difficult adjustment

when you love the outdoors,

but must come indoors

after the delicate dusk

descends.

© 2021 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Ada Dam - Thornapple River - Ada, Michigan

2. Home Deck - Cannonsburg, Michigan

3. Loveland, Colorado

Every Day

Do not go
from house
to garage
into car.

Do not go
from car
to garage
into house.

Please step 
outside;
and be still
for a minute.

Every day:
be a cloud watcher,
a sky watcher,
a listener.

Every night:
be a moon watcher,
a star watcher,
a listener.

© 2019 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Home Fields - Cannonsburg, Michigan

2. Crooked Lake - Kent County - Michigan

3. SaddleBrooke - Catalina, Arizona

Expression

Seeking illumination
through God's imagination,

I revel in His creation
on every walk outdoors.

Praise enters my experience;
eager for expression.

© 2019 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming

2. Longmont, Colorado

3. Buena Vista, Colorado

Illumination

Seeking illumination
through God's imagination,

I revel in His creation
on every walk outdoors.

Eager for expression,
praise enters my experience.

© 2019 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. SaddleBrooke, Arizona

2. Longmont, Colorado

3. Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming

Outside My Window

Outside my window,
evening is approaching,
spreading gently over the sky,

inviting me outdoors,
to meet again
this welcomed guest;

each visit different 
for a discerning eye.

Feeling blessed.
Gratitude expressed.

© 2019 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Kamloops, British Columbia

2, 3, 4. SaddleBrooke, Arizona