Wilting
berries
once ripe
wrinkle
on their stems
as plump skins
once
stretched taut
now wither
as fruit within
turns
from ripe
with promise
to decay
Gideon’s Challenge – Wilting
creative writing
Gideon’s Challenge – Held Breath
Held Breath
beneath
the waves
where everything
is calm
there is a moment
where floating
and stillness
is everything
the world
is made of
before the peace
is broken
by the need
for air
and we must
surface again
to breathe
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge – Invitation
Invitation
come
get lost with me
among the
cedar fronds
and craggy
douglas fir trunks
until all we see
is a sea of green
closing in
around us
in a welcoming
embrace
that asks us
to stay
forever
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge – Lazy
Lazy
lazy days
deserve
cuddles
complete with
soft purrs,
the scrape of
a rough tongue
in greeting,
and warm fur
nuzzled into
that somehow
always smells
of sunshine
and home
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge – Refreshed
Refreshed
Rise up
and stretch tall
within the
golden embrace
of evening
as sunlight
kisses the skin
and warms
the soul
as we prepare
to ease
into the dark
of twilight
soon to come
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge – Rainy Season
Rainy Season
fed up
and tired
to the bone
he lifts
his home
above
the flood line
so he won’t
have to wear
waders
indoors
anymore
and now lives
among
the clouds
Twisting the Leaf 