There is a haze in the air
that was not there
the day before.
Even the grazing deer
and the singing birds
stop to look.
I pick up a speckled stone
and rub my thumb over it.
I remember the orange veil
of last summer
and the summer before it.
I see now
that this is more
than a warning shot
across the bow.
Fighting fires
is not the answer.
There is something
more fundamental
than this to consider,
what we truly value,
our relationship with each other
and our relationship with the earth.
Through the orange veil
I see a phoenix rising.
—
Barry Hunt recently moved to Nanaimo and is a huge advocate of “forest bathing”, spending mindful time in Nature. He writes poetry about the natural world and what we can learn by listening to it. He also offers online workshops celebrating the changing seasons and the blessings we find in each changing season. For more information visit: www.afocusonhappiness.com