THE WHATNESS OF THINGS

I am continually amazed

At the whatness of things.

I have seen pines in Austria,

Tall and green

Against the blue of

Austrian sky.

And they are like the pines

Of Colorado

And the pines of Canada.

I have loved the deep cold waters

Of lakes in Austria,

And they  are like the dark

Blue cold and deep comfort

Of Canadian lakes.

Yes, and there were,

We are told now,

Lakes of a deep wonder

In days long gone

On planet Mars.

Were there also pines and a blue

Sky there, once,

By the lakes on Mars?

Did they grow grandly there, those pines?

Dear God, you have a knack

For making things

Over and over with the loveliness

Of what they are.

You are not thin and lonely, Lord,

You have a love of rooted things

And deep strong coldening things

And the huge, heavy whatness of them all.

                              Ted Black, 12/18/2013