Worship in Nature's Sanctuary
L. Milton Hankins 1941 (Hico, WV)
Johnny-Jump-Ups nestle into the forest floor mosses,
Along with dainty Jack-in-the-Pulpits hiding beneath
The larger fronds of swampy ferns soaking up moisture
From the dew-laden flowering branches of laurel
Where I find myself dreaming in the verdant woodland,
Edging the meadow beyond the cluttered beaver stand.
A canopy of vine-entangled branches, a vault-like nave,
Provides a sanctuary of sacred candles dimmed for mass
A pew-less haven for wounded souls, and tiny chipmunks,
Who scurry to find isolated spots for quiet meditation
While grebes and gallinules make up the choir ensemble;
A purple swamphen takes up the guttural baritone line.
The late morning is mine, sitting along the narrow trail
In a cross-legged yoga pose with arms across my knees,
Soaking up the faint sweet smells of sassafras and pine
And slipping into what I sometimes call my “blue funk”
Where nothing on earth matters outside this quiet shelter,
Dozing softly, I dream of a utopian sweet, elusive peace.
About this poem
The poem was written June 3, 2021. It was a featured poem on All Poetry, a Gold Medal winner in an All Poetry contest, and appeared in "It's Still Poetry," an anthology published by Poetry Soup, CreateSpace, 2022.
Written on June 03, 2021
Submitted by amsmilt on April 18, 2022
Modified on March 05, 2023
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Quick analysis:
Scheme | AXBCDD XXAXCE XXEXBX |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic heptameter |
Characters | 994 |
Words | 170 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 6, 6, 6 |
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"Worship in Nature's Sanctuary" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/125053/worship-in-nature's-sanctuary>.
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