She Painted...

Under a tree in the autumn glow,
a crisp, enlivening breeze commencing its blow,
she stood armed with an easel, paper, a brush,
on her cheeks etched an ardent flush

She painted the journey of the growing trees,
she caught the movement of the swirling leaves
that danced in the wind, whirled in the breeze,
she painted her feelings, never to cease

She painted the motion of the billowing clouds,
that governed the sky- complacent and proud
The soft colors of autumn- they would shroud,
whilst she painted her emotions, burgeoning and loud

She painted the hills- a stunning sight,
its peaks seasonally crowned by a blanket of white,
that thawed with the heat, shimmered in the night-
an embodiment of her fervor that shone with its might

She painted the affection, she painted the care
of the creatures with whom the world she shares-
their excursions, their pleasure- instances so rare,
she painted her spirit for which she treasured a flair

She painted her sentiments well into the day,
other matters of importance would be kept at bay
She honed her love in an individual, unique way,
she painted until the sun had exhausted its rays

Retaliation

Published in the literary journal 'Nature Writing'

She stood smoldering with rage
in her tucked away cave,
sending magic in spells and many a wave...

Winds of the universe, winds of the world-
culminate, and let your energy unfurl
Flow through the skies, flow through the trees
come to be more than a slight, gentle breeze
Calm, lapping seas of the ocean-
deluge the coast, set your power in motion
Humans have killed dear nature's charm-
annihilated something so innocent, so very unarmed
For we are the very reason life exists,
and we ought to retaliate, we must resist
We shall show them that we aren't weak and frail
and will sit back helpless- we must derail
their uncharted progress that will shatter our world,
we cannot be deferred and let their might unfurl
So, churning, frothing, violent seas- rise
abandon the earth, and reach for the skies
Clouds so white, pellucid- renounce your beauty,
turn black and incensed- do your duty
And rain- transcend your state of being a pleasant shower-
unleash your potential, portray your concealed power
to those ungrateful humans who think they know all,
who bask in our disintegration, our untimely downfall
Who have felled our trees, our virtuous plants-
clemency and forgiveness we cannot grant
Who have turned the blue planet into one of dust,
whose viridescent hues can now compare to rust,
whose pure, sapphire shades have been subjected to taint,
whose ambience has long gone lost its aura so quaint
So now we reciprocate, now we respond,
we were wrong- humans and nature never shared a bond
They razed our world, we shall raze theirs,
we shall lay their sphere of modernity broken and bare
Thus, forces- harmonize, operate as a team,
let us ascend in our own esteem
I am at the end of my strength, so please obey-
make the humans dance to your tune, create your own fray
So, ensure that your competence and power unfurl,
so in a century, nature will thrive in a much better world

Shaking with fatigue, wincing with pain,
the old witch lay down, her power completely drained
Taking her last breath, closing her eyes,
she deemed her decision as appropriate and wise

Dilemma

It was amid a copse of verdant trees,
nestled away in faraway place
where hope blew like the bracing breeze
in a remote corner of mother nature's face

Upon the rolling hills and dales
beyond the gurgling, sparkling streams,
by following the convoluted, swampy trails
there exists a cottage abounding with dreams

Dreams that never dwindle with time
in actuality, grow till their size is sheer
Tired of planting herbs- lemongrass and thyme
jaded of harvesting crops- livelihood so mere

For she is youthful, capable and very bright,
the greenery, the tarns- everything screams
at her to finally enter the light,
to go to town, and pursue her dream

However, her helpless family, she must not leave,
leave them to fend in the acres of field,
by her heedful emotions, she ably deceives-
her aspirations that have not yet keeled

She sat at the crest of her hillock one day,
at the thick mist- eyebrows knitted in a frown,
but then the clouds parted and cleared the way
for her to catch sight of the enticing town

As the spectral night began to fall,
the hill was promptly plunged in the dark,
in her mind formed an unforeseen resolve-
that despite the night, had lit a spark

So for the first time, she left her home,
primed to see the world through new eyes,
apprehensive of her unprecedented roam-
she would be back before the sun would rise