Went hiking today 
with my dear ones, 
dogs and people, 
except for the old, old
dog, 
who rested on a cushion, 
and waited,
snoozing, 
while we trekked
up the mountain,
through the pines, 
along the named trails
that used to belong 
only 
to deer,
on this cloudy,
breezy,
chilly
March day, 

after a season
of sorrow-- 

coyote and  
wild turkey 
tracks, 

talk of the 
magic of possums,
talk of old times
and
people--

hemlocks,
maples, 
and my favorite
birches, 
trees, 
rocks,
moss, 
leaves,
did I mention trees? 

Through the snowy 
woods we 
walked, 
and paused
and talked
and walked
some more
and paused
and talked-- 

up the pipelined 
way, 
up, up
and over the 
thank-you-ma’ams -- 

gazed off 
at the splendid
Endless Mountains,
and descended 
through the meadow
feeling blessed 
by Mother/Father
Earth/God
and washed 
in the loveliness
of our company, 
of our way.

Thank you for reading this. This one is for my hiking companions.