This land

Once upon a land, the sun dawns bright day
over rolling valleys of green, forests
of Douglas fir, spruce, pine, aspen, balsam 
blanket fields and mountains carved by glaciers

Once upon a land, sky is never ending 
over long shadows of fir, larch, pine trees
wild creatures graze and roam, untamed but for 
wind roaring the birth cries, chanting dead songs  

Once upon a land, the full pearled moon  
shimmers over the alpine lake, milk-blue sheen
We will stay here, bedding, forging new paths
We will die here, marking our scents & tales

Bison Blog

Bison herd was reintroduced in Alberta, Canada in Feb. 1, 2018.  Since then Banff's bison herd has been growing, thriving as it explores new range, Parks Canada says.  All 10 expectant mothers successfully gave birth in Banff’s backcountry; bring the total number to 34.  Source.

Posted for dVerse poets - OpenLinkNight, hosted by Kim Russell.   

Hiking up to Lake Agnes Tea House

my legs are jars of sand
fear's a spider 
climbing my spine, with last
part:  wooden steps

my breath mirrors shallow
lake on ice-capped
mountain, shimmering blue-
beehive of pines-

my tongue throbs for lake's cool
not warm green tea-
below, panorama
winks, bubbling green

Lake Louise from the middle of the hike up to Lake Agnes Tea House.  The trail took us 2 hours to climp up and 1.5 hours to hike down.

• Elevation Gain: 400 m (1300 ft)
• Altitude: 2135 m (7005 ft)

Lake Agnes Tea House

Posted for OpenLinkNight of D'verse Poets pub - Late post for the Quadrille of Fear last week.  Join us when the pub doors open at 3pm EST.   All photos are mine from my vacation in Alberta, Canada. Thanks for the visit.

Postcard from Lake Minnewanka, Banff

early morning sky

shades blue upon blue

-pale turquoise & dark cyan-

shimmering mirror of perfection

we gaze up

-reduced to pebbles- 

by mammoth giants of rocks

cradling the glacier lake

mountains are murmuring

to the spirits of the lake

we listen

-sussuration of tides-

echoes of resort village 

forever submerged in deep darkness

we scan for

footprints of mountain sheep & bears

but only 

lone eagle watches

from stone-hedged tree

its eyes, glittering

-clear as water-

wild as sunrise

Mount Inglismaldie, Lake Minnewanka

"Water of the Spirits"

Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Shade, hosted by Lillian for Poetics.  
Join us when the pub doors open by 3pm EST.  
During our boat cruise in Lake Minnewanka, we were lucky to spot this beautiful eagle on the tree (top right side of photo).  Thanks for the visit.

Postcard from Medicine Lake, Jasper

Photo by Grace@Everyday Amazing

The Excelsior fire in summer of 2015 left the forest a fragment of its lush vegetation.  Tall skeletal trees, burnt logs and roots, form a silent graveyard.   The rain had stopped the wildfire from wrecking further havoc on the small town of Jasper, Alberta province.   The area is a grim reminder of the harsh realisties of wildfire during summer.  

Around the flanks of the forest, lake rises up to vibrancy during spring and summer. The clouds can be dark from the distance.  But the tides are calm, soothing balm for the place of what was once a firestorm.   What once was a carribou country where the First Nations thrived.   The contrast of lake's startling beauty and emptiness from wildfire surrounding it, is a visual and spiritual experience. The area may not be a tourist perfect area.  Yet here is where life and death intertwined.

cloudy morning
two bald eagles nest on a tree-
wind cries - distant drums -

Photo by Grace@Everyday Amazing

Medicine Lake, Jasper National Park

Alberta, Canada

Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - How Wonderfully Imperfect (wabi-sabi) for Haibun Monday, hosted by Victoria C. Slotto.  Join us when the pub door opens by 3pm EST.  I am back after my Alberta vacation.