the earth again rolls
our lush green neighborhood
toward the sun

large on the western horizon
a waning gibbous moon slides
into a nebulous white envelope
of brush-stroked clouds

people out in their yards greet us with smiles
happy to be working in the night air
sighing up through the tossing sunlit trees
our collies grin in the morning breezes
lift their heads and twitch noses
to an intoxicating scent
wafting from some good person’s kitchen

my beloved plants a big kiss on me
right out in the middle of the street
on the crown of a hill above our brown house
and all around the swaying trees applaud
while hundreds of birds sing our favorite songs

and as we walk home together
our day begins like the blessing it is
trailing miracles everywhere in our footsteps

©John Greenleaf-Maple 5/17/17