Landscapes

If they seem indifferent at times
they’re likely distracted as we often are
we see them as mind-works
until they’re memorable absences
the seeming-solid land our former homes
rested on has floated away when we’re not looking
taking their charges elsewhere as skies switch seasons
moody as hungry teenagers

obstructed distances are still distances
despite clusters of trees and crowded roadways
and hurry, the greatest obstruction
to seeing landscapes, distances
wheat’s bright carpet clings to a field’s contours
every bump and dip until an aggressive rise
becomes a horizon though we know it’s pretense
there are many bumps and dips beyond it
as the world rounds away from us
like restless mind-wanderings led by something unseen
yet undeniable, its pull as certain as next week
and as open we’ve learned not to ask

when we do attend, landscapes have much to show us
we dropped our phones but no matter
they’ll likely still be there next to the picnic table
near the parking lot using up battery
when we think to look for them again
we’ve been so focused on foregrounds
on what we want at the moment
that backgrounds, distances, landscapes
seem all but non-existent
but given enough mind, backgrounds
swallow up foregrounds

a clump of wheat stalks raked through our fingers
disappears into its fellows in all directions
a cup of water dipped from a stream
a scoop of sand from a beach
a deep breath taken from a generous backdrop
tell us there’s more than samples
but we’d need more mind and focus
or maybe less, or mind turned landscape
the aching reach, cryptic shadows
theatre of owl and cricket

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.