Day 5 in the Woods
*


I wore a thin tee shirt
in the early morning chill.

There was a time
I’d turn around,
“It’s too cold”.

This day I walked slowly,
breathing in and out
woodsy scents.

“The chill?”, you ask.

I can now feel
pebbles on boots
on soles heels toes,
nhale xhale, in slowly
out slowly looking down
at the earth brown ground.

“The chill?”, you ask.

The chill feeling now
vibrates a joy full smile
on this human being grace.

Please get it right.
The thrill, not the chill
is what we are talkin’ ‘bout.
*

Wish I threw on a jacket.
It’s cold. I got goose bumps.
I’ll just go a little further
and turn back

I saw them
two women with a dog
heading this way

How you folks doin’?
Good.
Good. How are you doing?
Been better! Been worse!

You can say that again.

We passed. I turned back.
One wore short sleeves,
the other, a tan jacket.

I turned again and wondered
if the short sleeved one
was feeling cold.

That took place
before slowly
breathing
*

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