I DREAM

I dream that peace falls
like silent snow,

drifting into darkened corners,
dangerous corridors,

where hope struggles with ragged breath,

I dream of a fox resting in quiet slumber,

I dream of people crying
in sorrow,
in suffering,
in fear,

in places I’ve never visited
nor likely ever will,

I dream that peace falls,

I dream of a fox resting.

I dream of people,

I dream.

Photograph by Annalies Corbin ©2024
Website: annaliescorbin.photography
Instagram: @annaliescorbinphotography
Photo taken at Yellowstone National Park

RUSTY

Every piece matters,

a nut,
a bolt,
a rusted clamp
from a vacant lot,

an odd array
of this and that,

nothing special
when seen in parts,

yet touches the heart when whole.

RUSTY FACTS
“Rusty” is a 20-foot metal sculpture by artist Kris Nethercutt that stands outside the entrance of The Factory at Franklin (circa-1929 buildings that once served as the Dortch Stove Works, Magic Chef and later the Jamison Bedding Company and is now a historic shopping, dining and entertainment complex). The Factory is in Franklin, Tennessee.
Rusty weighs 4,600 pounds and took six years to complete. All the parts were found in the former factories or in car junk yards.

SHE WAS THE RAREST OF US

Her footsteps disappeared from the path,

the last ones, barely perceptible,
had fully existed just moments before,

where did she go,

the dancing girl with the golden hair,

who poured magic into spaces
full of voids and chasms,

who wrote poems of hope,
dreamt big expansive dreams,

gave precious gifts
to those often forgotten,

shared her brave voice
to seek a cure,

she was the rarest of us,

we humans searching for life’s meaning,
getting lost in the fog,

turning corners only to become confused
again and again,

tripping on rocks, slipping on ice,
losing our way,

our dismay that she has gone
will remain, yet,

the dancing girl with the golden hair

showed us the way,

leaving us in the fog of heartbreak
while still shining a light on the path,

so we may walk forward in her footsteps,
bearing hope in her name.

Written in memory of Alea Ramsey, May 26, 2005- January 28, 2024

Alea began Bearing Hope in 2020 with the mission of bringing joy, hope and support to kids fighting cancer in Ohio and to raise awareness for Childhood Cancer.

Photo by Susan DeGraaf

LIGHT IS NEVER FAR BEHIND

The tree spent its early years gathering strength,
growing wider, taller,
extending its roots deeper, further,
 
a firm foundation for the years to come,
 
then a storm struck,
a branch cracked and fell to earth,
 
the next year drought hit,
the tree lost leaves,
its branches grew spindly, withered,
 
an ice storm dealt the cruelest blow,
limbs fractured,
weighed down by winter’s cruel, unforgiving power,
 
yet the tree drew healing strength through its roots,
drawing in nurturing balms,
provided by rich, generous soil,
 
people who passed the tree,
commented on its architectural wonder,
its unusual visage,
not knowing what the tree had been through,
 
but the tree knew,
 
and so,
it grew its roots further, deeper,
into its vast underground network,
finding support, strength, nourishment,
for what life might bring,
 
worried, yet ready, weary, yet hopeful,
grateful for its roots and network
that sustained it through the toughest days,
 
reminding it that light is never far behind the darkness.

Photo by Susan DeGraaf

SAYING GOODBYE TO BUTTERFLIES

When I was a child,
I loved everything about butterflies,
their magical wings, their lustrous colors,
but never pondered their life cycle,
or where they went each fall,

like a game of peekaboo,
they were here one minute,
gone the next,

my young mind easily moved on
to the next wondrous thing,
a chittering squirrel,
a leaping grasshopper,
a hopping bunny,
a vine bursting with pumpkins
just in time for Halloween,

it wasn’t until I was older
that saying goodbye to butterflies
was accompanied by feelings of melancholy,

I worried about their arduous flight to Mexico;
whether or not their delicate wings would sustain them,

you see, I had lived long enough by then
to understand that not all stories have a happy ending,
and that sometimes saying goodbye
could be for the very last time.

Photo by Marti Durkee Garvey (my very talented sister-in-law)
See more of her art on Instagram: @momartiphotos
and on Tumbler: momartiphotos.tumblr.com

Wonder Girl

The questions flow with earnest ease
from a girl who just turned five,

she wonders why she’s on the ground,
when birds can fly so high,

she wonders where the rainbow ends,
and why she loves fresh pie,

she wonders how the flowers grow
when summer days draw ‘nigh,

she wonders what she ought to do
when a good friend starts to cry,

she wonders why some folks get sick
and why they sometimes die,

she wonders why the moon’s so bright
in the silvery, starlit sky.

I SEE YOU

I see you,

I see the worries you carry,
the thoughts unspoken,
the steps untaken

to feel more at ease,
to appease your troubled soul,

I see you,

I know how pain
carved a path,
left a mark emblazoned
on your tender heart,

no need to explain
how you’re feeling,

there is never a need
to speak of it again,

be still with me,
we will heal together.

Colored Pencil Art “Lean on Me” by Angela Finney
Visit Angela’s website: angelasanimalart.com

There is a well-known quote in the horse world by Buck Brannaman that says horses offer a mirror to your soul. Your horse sends messages to you, reflecting to you what they sense and opening the opportunity for you to face your deepest fears, insecurities, and the emotions you tend to bury. But they also are willing to show you the beauty that is inside of you. Vista Verde.com

An emerging body of scientific evidence indicates that interacting with horses improves health and well-being and can help people with numerous physical and mental health conditions, from children living with motor disabilities to adults grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Washington Post 3/2/22

This is me in ‘59,

part skeptical,
part wise,
part shy,

unsure of my place,
or what I will face
In years to come,

Yet, I’m still here,

more wise than shy,
more trusting than not,
more hopeful than not,

more sure of my place,
and ready to face
the years ahead,

thankful for family and friends
who make my world whole,
and wholly worthwhile,

Peace and love to each of you.

THE MORNING OF YOUR LIFE

This is the morning of your life,

the time between now
and the evening of your days,

between stirring and slumber,

will be measured by luck,
strength and wise choices,

be the strongest cub,
be the bravest cub,

the world is dangerous
for one so small,
but you will grow so very tall,
so very powerful,

use your power when needed,
use your wisdom
to someday care
for your own family.

I will teach you all I know
about survival,

listen carefully,
watch closely,
remain alert,

follow my example
and you will find your days
to be rich and plentiful upon the earth.

Photo by Annalies Corbin. Ms Corbin’s photography can be seen at: annaliescorbin.photography and on Instagram @annaliescorbinphotography. She is known for her exceptional wildlife and landscape photography and delights in returning to Hallo Bay, Alaska each summer to observe and photograph the Coastal Brown Bear mothers with their cubs. As with mothers everywhere, the incredible tenderness and care given to their cubs is beautiful to witness. Coastal Brown Bears can grow from 500 to 1000 pounds or more and over eight feet. They are omnivorous and are drawn to the salmon at Hallo Bay.