Through the Valley

 

When the burning tears

of extreme grief

fall from our blurry eyes,

God's kind mercy

will carry us

through the valley,

beyond the shadows,

and after an appointed

period of time,

into the warm light

of healing compassion.

We do not walk alone.

© 2025 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Saguache, Colorado

2. Taylor River Reservoir - Colorado

Under the Dome

 

Under this dome of blue sky,

splashed with clouds of white,

a long strip of sand and

a vast expanse of ocean in sight.

A palette of blues playing

with shadows and light.

Filling me with 

inexpressible delight.

© 2025 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Sunset Beach, North Carolina

2. & 3. Vero Beach, Florida

Canyonlands

 

Under the shadow

of the passing raven's wings,

lichen green clumps of sage

are scattered over red soil

in the silent solitude

of the Canyonlands.

© 2024 Richard Havenga

Petunia Moon

 

The long light of this wide morning

creates sharp shadows on the grass.

Until afternoon clouds grow into gray sheets

when shadow edges blur and disappear.

The faint breath of a warm breeze

waggles summer Petunias on the deck.

Then the sun will drop to end this day,

but the horizon light will linger longer.

And a new crescent moon 

will rise into the night. 

© 2022 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Home Deck - Cannonsburg, Michigan

2. Home Sky - Cannonsburg, Michigan

Shadow's Source

 

Whenever a quick,

silent shadow sweeps

over the ground around me,

I immediately look up

toward the sun,

to find the shadow's source.

Was it a Turkey Vulture,

Red-tailed Hawk,

or Sandhill Crane?

A Canada Goose, of course,

would announce its arrival

before it arrived. 

This time a large surprise:

a Bald Eagle carving easy circles

between sun and clouds.

Silent shadows

sweeping the earth,

far below the source.

© 2022 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. & 3. Home Fields - Cannonsburg, Michigan

2. Home Woods - Cannonsburg, Michigan

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

5. Eagle Lakes Park - Naples, Florida

Shadow and Ink

After the stars retired,

a faint band of apricot light

began to glow and grow

on the eastern horizon.

Dawn delivers

a new concert of birdsong,

unraveling among

a chaos of branches.

A new sun

climbs the vault of sky,

creates slow shadows

that walk through the woods.

I find a suitable place

to sit and rest,

to watch and listen,

to think and write.

The sun casts a narrow shadow

from my pen point.

Shadow and black ink

meet upon yellow paper.

Produce words

with the urge

to travel.

© 2021 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1. Home Woods - Cannonsburg, Michigan

2. Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming

3. Rocky Mountain National Park - Colorado

Silent as Shadows

a pair of Mute Swans

swimming with their reflections

silent as shadows

© 2019 Richard Havenga

Photo Location: McCarthy Lake - Kent County - Michigan

Skaters

Water Striders skate
in jerky strides
over the silky surface
of calmer water
along the shoulders
of the stream.

Along the inside curves,
I lean in slowly;
close enough to see
their delicate feet
dimple the surface film
of the water.

Shadow patterns
outlined in light,
form distinct 
ovals and circles
on the bottom silt. 

© 2019 Richard Havenga

You may also enjoy two previous posts about Water Striders:

Striders ~ June 19, 2012

Striders II ~ June 15, 2015

Photo Locations:

1. Fallasburg Park - Kent County - Michigan

2, 3, 4. Bear Creek - Townsend Park - Kent County - Michigan

Shadows Unfurl

As dawn births a new day,
the bronze light of morning
gathers on the horizon.

A ridge of clouds
collects early light.

Pink becomes lavender
along the shoulders
of ancient mountains.

Shadows unfurl
beneath rounded junipers
clutching the orange hills.

I witness the earth
being born again.

© 2019 Richard Havenga

You may also enjoy: "Unspoken" September 30, 2013


Photo Locations: 

1. Home Woods - Kent County - Michigan

2. Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming

3. Utah 

Carrying

As the shadows grew longer,
the wind released its grip
and the silence grew wider.

That evening the watery moonlight
danced enticingly upon the ocean,
carrying her to a new horizon.

After years of offering 
everything she had,
she realized she was
much more than his echo.

Now, carrying the parts of herself
she knows will grow and flourish,
she sails in her imagination
to a new and brighter place
where her dreams 
may begin to shine. 

© 2018 Richard Havenga

Photo Location: Anna Maria Island, Florida  

Shadow of the Hawk

Hiking this bouldered trail
on my earth bound existence,
I am suddenly touched
by the passing shadow
of a Red-tailed Hawk.

Above these foothills
scattered with Ponderosa,
he is sailing in circles.


Below these cumulus
growing whiter and brighter,
he is dancing on the wind.

Under this intensely blue
Colorado sky,
this flying shadow
felt like a brief blessing. 

It was.

© 2016 Richard Havenga

Photo Locations:

1, 2, 3: Rocky Mountain National Park - Colorado 

4. Kent County, Michigan

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

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

Chamber Music

Approaching
from the back edge of day,
this twilight, gentle and soft,
is patiently collecting my thoughts.

Shadows 
merge into a deeper dusk,
filling the evening with quiet;
except for the crickets
within their hidden chambers
tuning up 
for their next performance.

Capturing the thoughts
from this audience
of one.

©  2014  Richard Havenga

 

Passage

Near sunset,
the end of this day
settles into the foothills;
gathers long shadows
that will ease its
passage
into the night.

©  2014  Richard Havenga

Photo Location:

Hatchet, Wyoming

Moon Shadows

Black tree shadows
cast by winter's moon,
strike sharp outlines
on bright snow crust.

As moon travels westward,
moon shadows
grow eastward,
lengthening toward dawn.

On this night walk

through winter woods,

I listen...

for voices in the stars.

©  2013  Richard Havenga

Photo Location:

Home Woods -  Cannonsburg,  Michigan