Beyond and beneath as I sat in the grass
Life was a flowing, amongst and along
Where once was a bumble bee
Soon came a mosquito
And the common house fly,
Pestering without biting
Towards the South was the valley
China Mountain loomed beyond
Green as the grass grew
They sky was as blue
And the purple lupins
With orange poppies gathered round
Mixed with slowly dying purple irises
With forget-me-nots galore.
Tramping around and around me
Going back, to, and forth
Was a fresh set of legs
A young border collie named Tex
Oversized collar and curious nose
Up and to the left now
Then back over he’d go.
Pansies along the railing
Painted clay earthy brown and red
And above it, the birdhouses
Two up there now
One rotting and perched
The other one newer
Enough for just one.
The big fir yonder
Was home to the blackbirds
They built in their nests
They grew their young offspring
However you look at it
They were encroaching on the squirrels
But that battle was lifelong
An act of natures wiles.
While sun started setting
Shadows became long
So sitting on the grass
Was no longer in the leaves
And off to the dinner table
To dine and try cards
And just like the sun’s retreat
So was the warmth