Thanksgiving 2017: Gratitude poem "She Loves"

Bright skies at the beginning of the year, she loves impending freedom — and then freedom itself!

Starting the morning with a clean coffee pot,
she bakes bread and then enters the forest.
Finding vegan restaurants in out of the way places,
under trees — and everywhere ethical chocolate!
She marvels over the nearness of lakes and oceans,
Basks in 80 degree summer days — and nights.
She discovers urban wildlife in vegan magazines,
and in vegan cookbooks, urban walks.
In The Caribbean, ocean blues reign.
In The Everglades, waterfalls rain serpentine.
She discovers Discovery Park, parks for discovery,
like magical tofu, a blank slate for flavor,
like medical magicians, full of nutritious holidays,
ending the evening, she loves being outdoors.

In being outdoors, she finds a miracle in everything,
— even these boots!
The blossoms on Uhura, the black tulip magnolia,
warm greetings and animal friendships,
art, lilacs, thunderstorms, industrial music,
a gentle day, a gentle soul,
springdancestories,
knowing, homing knowledge, home.
She enjoys being, just being,
watching beings being,
listening to beings being,
being with beings being,
and being entertained by her own imagination.
In the afternoon, she loves bohemia.

She loves bohemia, in the afternoon.
She dreams weird dreams. Vivid dreams. Insightful dreams.
She remembers dreams and dream poetry.
She volunteers time and lives her most authentic self.
She says, "I am creating something out of vivid dreams and simple desires."
Always while walking and feeling useful,
surrealism, opportunity, invigoration,
resiliently nearing completion of some goal.
Her friend turns 40 and not yet 50, but soon will...
Still, she has her vision and her health.
14 years for Trooper — playful!
20 years with Sam — playing games!
45 years walking around Lake 22.
She plays games with dragons.

She play games with dragons.
Creativitystorieslust.
She discovers libraries, movies and books flow — so many words.
She loves being cozy,
Loving men, wise women,
bookclub, game night, dedicated people,
Pasado's Safe Haven, Northwest Animal Rights Network, Food Empowerment Project,
animal rights and food justice,
friends, friends, friends,
activist friends, friends making bad puns, adventuring friends,
friends on Lemonade Winds and SOBO on the Appalachian Trail.
She celebrates a friend's 40th birthday,
Her friend turns 40 and not yet 50, but soon will...

Bright skies at the end of the year she loves Sam, Mom, Auntie, Trooper, Mary Shelley — and then life itself!