Cloudscapes

Without a doubt,
one of my favorite
parts of life is
clouds.

The soft pastels
at dawn lift me up
and take me home;
sunset-backdropped,
at day’s end,
I am delivered again,
haloed in gold.

Nature-ensconced,
nature-infused,
nature my lifeline,
nature my truth-school.

I befriend every creature and petal,
explore every infinitesimal detail,
lose all track of time in the macro
finding clues about myself,

but nothing He has made
entrances me more
than the heaven-brushed strokes
of the cloudscapes Earth-adorned.

For cloudy days, I thank You, Lord!

Poem and images ©LauraDenise

It is the Sky

Awesome and tranquil Sea
soothes me, strokes me with peace…

The Mountains huddle protectively
and I feel snug in the middle of their majesty…

The Woods beckon me to wander endlessly,
enchanted by flickering sunbeams between trees….

Unsurpassed beauty in the petals’ intricacies,
I hesitantly unfurl with the Flowers delicately…

But of all of the nature in gifted creation,
nothing captures my heart quite like the heavens,

the glimpses of paradise where angels reside,
looking down on us, their love reaching with light.

It is Sky that makes my heart leap the most,
can’t take my eyes off of; it’s entranced my soul.

The clouds carry my every dream and hope,
and one day, will lovingly carry me home.

Give Me Cloudy Days

Give me cloudy days!
Fill the skies
with grandiose displays,
billows of magnificence,
those ever-shifting shapes!

No sunrise will I miss
when those clouds get their first kiss
and set off on their journey
blushing with pink bliss.

Let the clouds continue to bloom
when the skies default to blue;
all day long, let them come
and show off what they can do.

I’ll still be looking up
when the sun begins to drop
and kisses again the clouds goodnight
as night begins its watch.

In front of moon, the clouds pass
in my favorite nocturnal dance
in lines floating by
that captivate and hold me entranced.

Thank you, Creator, for garnishing with clouds;
how boring the view would be without!
Thank you for the constant reminder
that You are still undoubtedly around.

Poem and images ©LauraDenise

Heaven on Earth

Heaven on earth,

heaven reaching us,

is what I sometimes observe,

stumble across.

Those few steps

toward the ocean

when white sand

meets white clouds,

muted colors

have never seemed

so spiritually loud.

Am I witnessing

a miracle,

a glimpse of what’s beyond

as time stands still

while my spirit lifts in response,

gets to transcend

in an eternal moment

privy to mysteries

as a chosen one

having proven

in all of those tests

to be worthy?

Or am I simply

attune to such

celestial beauty

gifted to us all,

extra sensitive

and overenthusiastic

before all forms of nature,

grandiose and small?

Heaven on earth,

heaven reaching us,

is what I capture

often in my lens

as proof

that there is

so much more to come

after the end.

Poem and images ©LauraDenise

The Rippling Within

Celestial sky parts

as morning descends

upon the bay

with the gentlest kiss.

Tranquility trickles

in the ripples

and stuns me

to stillness.

Just me and the Creator

sharing a moment together,

the beauty so powerful,

perhaps a reminder

that I can carry this with,

and when the day becomes hectic,

I can call upon it,

for once peace

permeates the spirit,

it continues

like the bay

to ripple in

the calmness;

no crashing waves

can push me over

when in me

there is only

this placid

bay water.

Witness

IMG_E8870

Waves of yesterdays

evidenced in footprints

not yet erased

lose their shadows

in the gradual light

of another day,

and I add to them

on my way

to where the sand

shows no trace

of existence.

I am one of the few witnesses.

I patiently wait

and wait

for sun to make his way

and finally show

his unconditional

bright face.

Version 2

He lights up mine

as well as my eyes

and sparks my heart

to life.

I give thanks.

I pray.

Upon the ray

that travels from him

to me

across the sea,

I lay

my troubles

and watch them

get carried away.

Again, my heart soars,

free,

this moment,

the only thing

I choose to carry.

It will live forever

in me.

Although I walk away,

I am weightless, so

my footsteps

leave no imprints,

though I exist

more so than when

I came.

Poem and images ©LauraDenise

Minuscule Magnificence

Mower engine stopped

at the sight of movement

in a patch of wild,

human stoops low

to observe

from a different perspective

for a while…

What intricate patterns and details!

What interesting coloring…

Magnificent minuscule creature,

you are quite lovely!

Hop along now!

Hop elsewhere to safety.

With lens and mind’s eye,

I’ve captured your beauty.

I think time has been frozen

during our rendezvous,

another mindful escape

through the portal of

a different view,

and to think I may have missed

the opportunity to be infused

with another dose of soulful bliss

on this gorgeous May afternoon…

This May Day

A beautiful May Day,
a time to celebrate
spring and me,

the blessings He
continuously gifts,
I continuously see;
may I never lose that
heightened ability,

for with it, the awe
of every petal and leaf
seeps into my being,

and with the scents
and colors, I give back
in letters arranged
to the best of my ability

beautifully

to use the talent
He granted me,
and on this day
especially,

I wrap myself
in the love
He endlessly offers
unconditionally

and treat
myself with self-love
humbly
for on this day,
He put such care
into creating me.

He saw me through
every storm
and brought me
to the sea.

I can’t wait to see
what He has in store
next for me.

I continue to follow
faithfully,
as I have for so long
blindly,

but now all about me,
it seems,
are bits and pieces
leading

to some great revealing.
I am getting nearer
to where he wants me to be.

I’m getting nearer
to the highest form of
love and happiness
that can only bloom
from the seeds

He has planted
specifically
in me.

Laura’s Lenses

Flowers in the spring–

such an extra colorful blessing

among the natural offerings

gifted to us so freely.

Nothing in the natural

does a grateful heart miss,

fail to be moved by

with awe, always open

to be filled with the bliss,

and when the grateful heart

resides surrounded by the soul

of a poet,

every blade and petal

and note of birdsong

is impossible

to forget.

Add the sui generis lenses

of Spotted Iris and Canon

and the art collection

personally held

in the mind’s eye and heart

allows for instant access

to light and tranquility

even in the turbulence and

dark.

Wildflowers in the Light

minute details extraordinaire

captivate with their shape

patterns enticing the iris

whisper enchantment

lead the way

opening portals

to fairy worlds

offering wisdom pearls

when petals unfurl

glorious creation underfoot

under-appreciated

so often overlooked

mindfulness, lack of speed

photographer’s lens steady underneath

is granted access to the kingdom

not so secret

but gifted to those who simply

seek it

so much is lost

to height

get down and lost

in the wonder of

wildflowers in the light

About this photoshoot: Did you know I usually have the leash of a large, wild puppy in my other hand while photographing? Here are some photobombs by him (but also cute)…

My teenaged daughter is also a photographer (and has a MUCH better camera than me). I love to sneak pictures of her taking pictures, especially in that same golden light…

Here are the patches of weeds/wildflowers from a distance…