I awoke to
Stillness like a
Fresh blanket of
Snow on the
Rolling pastures of
Southwestern Wisconsin not
Yet tarnished by
Foot or paw
I awoke to
Happiness like children
Realizing that today
Is Christmas full
Of wonderment awe
And glee I
Awoke to peace
Like cross country
Skiers on the
Freshly powdered trails
Of Valais as
The sun begins
To crest the
Alps bringing long
Shadows and sparkles
From my breath
And so at
Last I let
Go of the
Side of the
Boat tired of
Holding on deciding
That to float
Or to sink
Would be better
Than hoping to
Pull myself back
The boat was
Listless going nowhere
Before full of
Prospect aimed at
The new horizon
Now free from
Trust I bob
About in faith
That either land
Or depth will
Eventually touch me
Knowing that I
Alone chose both
Oh so many
Believe that the
Brave find themselves
Behind a gun
Or a sword
Or their fists
But the truly
Brave stand behind
Their hearts for
Those that believe
In love and
The unconditional sharing
Of the same
Are the bravest
Souls on earth
And just like
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake
I have realized
That true beauty
Is only realized
At the point
At which it
Is gone forevermore
Is it that
Our eyes blind
Us or is
It that our
Heart sings a
Sweeter melody let
Me remember you
Like the winter
Remembers the summer
Like the drought
Remembers the rain
Let me remember
That one starlit
Night in Sardina
When your eyes
Outshone the heavens
I stepped away
Like a storm
That dumped its
Rain on mountain
Tops deciding to
Be cloudy rather
Than another storm
Bringing peace instead
Of selfish torrents
Giving me room
To decide whether
What we offered
Was what’s needed
Rather than wanted
Like protective parents
With a child
In a bakery
Filled with desserts
And bread like
Travelers finally breaking
Free to see
The canyons vista
Please give me
Time to choose
Because I know
That one road
Leads to you
And the other
Well the other
Leads to nowhere
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 