The Burning
Our passion
burns bright
like a match’s
strike
that catches
not just flint
to phosphorus
but sets the world
ablaze
and everything
burns
until all
that is left
is you and I
and scorched earth
rain forest
Gideon’s Challenge
Renewal
New life
slips free
from damp earth
to stretch
towards the sun
as blades unfurl
into leaves
stretched wide
and eager for
light and warmth
as bits of fuzz
are tickled
by a breeze
skimming over
moldering decay
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge
The Fairy Tales
Hang your head
deeply
to slip your ear
to my lips
as we move
along the trail
and I will
whisper stories
to you
of the creatures
that hide among
mossy niches
and fern fronds
as their laughter
mingles with the wind
all around us
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge
The Nymph
Cold water slips
over chilled skin
as bare feet wade
from frigid depths
to dry grasses
that crackle
underfoot
and brush tapped
barren rustles
as the figure steps
from grasses
into the trees beyond
and melts away
into the forest
with a soft laugh
hanging in the air
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge
The Connection
Always connected
we glide
in and out
of each other’s lives
fingertips graze
and we circle away
to come back
again in tight embrace
always together
yet apart
energy tangled
like knotted threads
even with
thousands of miles
between us
Photo © ZenStatePhotography
Gideon’s Challenge
Misty Mornings
Sweet wet air
skims against skin
as not quite raindrops
kiss surfaces
always eager
for water and wet
no matter
how damp
they already are
and misty air
mixes
with morning dew
to give us
a taste
of perfection
and renewal
Twisting the Leaf 