A Wandering Week in Florida 2
During the second half of my State Parks trip I walked on long trails, kayaked and swam in refreshing natural springs, and learned about Florida’s enormous underground rivers and springs that feed into its aquifer systems. I hope my words paint pictures of the places, and you can find photos on my website thewalkingpoet.net
HOMOSASSIS
The pontoon boat glides
along the river
shy river otters
slow moving turtles
a flock of wood ducks.
So perfectly painted
bright red eyes,
feathers of glossy teal, greens, blues, purples and browns
outlined with black and white lines.
Off the boat:
walking through the park
A strange sight appears
by himself with a house and pond
Large and rotund, with grey leathery skin
Enormous toothy mouth and tiny ears
Lu, a 63 years old hippopotamus
Change scenes!
Pelicans nesting
Flamingoes strutting
Owls watching
Otters undulating
On the Boardwalk over the river
it is time for the manatees.
Florida’s amphibious elephants
large grey submarines under the dappled water
occasionally a hairy nose pops up for air
mothers and calves swim together
you can feel the almost human intelligence
The caring, gentleness and love
As the community swims and breathes together.
Here people and wild creatures co-exist
with only fences between us.
it is possible to see and feel the beauty
Birds and animals of many colors, shapes and sizes
a world we must protect.
KAYAKING THE CHAZ (Chassahowitzka River)
Paddling Silently, as the golden hour approached
past Crab creek, Salt creek into Stevens creek
and the tangled skeleton tree
loaded with ibises and blue herons.
As if walking on water,
the colorful blue heron with ruby eyes
In a floating garden of river algae
and sea weeds,
Stands focused, waiting, and watching.
in the gently changing sunlight and shadows
I float quietly, waiting and watching too.
We are together in a shared trance
In a timeless communion
in a blur, blue pounced
nothing caught for now.
As I paddle back, leaving blue,
A flock of black vultures
with bright red heads
and clean white underwings
swoop down into a dark copse.
I stop, move closer and watch
peering into the thick dark undergrowth
I can see no carcass being shredded
leaving me wondering
Do vultures just hang out for fun?
HILLSBOROUGH RIVER
Excitement builds
hiking on the Rapids trail
white water in Florida!
Mossy rocks and foam,
Good try folks.
More excitement
2 turtles pose on logs
with an anhinga
The large American alligator
lies conveniently aligned
with the informational sign
describing him or her.
MANATEE SPRINGS
sunlight angles through the cypress swamps
casting playful patterns on the flowing water
highlighting the flowing Old man’s beard.
Across the river
the tall and graceful great blue
perches on a submerged rock
As manatees swim close by him
hairy snouts in the air
maybe communicating
with their heron friend.
Behind the heron
the swamp stretches far back
into dark shadows
home to myriad unseen creatures
sheltering safely from us, the people.
I am grateful for those who acted
to preserve and protect these parks
WEEKI WACHEE
We wait in line
The Ukrainian couple
here through her uncles grace.
They started in Brooklyn
full of ex-pat Russians,
supporting Putin’s war;
so they escaped to Florida.
We cry together
feeling the atrociousness of war
Now for the show:
Mermaids really do exist
a show not to be missed
They dance around as a pair
breathing and bubbling air
Hermit the frog also dancing
And a prince comes prancing.
into the clear spring water.
we watch through the underwater window
From this one spring gushes
150 million gallons
enough water for
a glass of water for all Floridians
every day.
©MartinStrasmore2023
WHAT IS FULLFILLMENT
A place to be this year for sure
content and wanting no more
Using gifts granted me
to the best of my ability
listening and hearing what is truly needed
to uplift the lives of others
being present for all those I love
Grey wool covered one
Pen wanders from book to book
red leather journal
wins this morning
It’s four am
Ideas keep staving flowing poems are appearing so write now before disappearing dice I write them down I dan can go back to sleep before the phone will keep 7i)↓ how de do I start a new and ideas continue line ) as I write with Apple Pencil in the dark to spark. I just want to go to sleep. There were wordsabout log lay and play kissing and hugging on Valentines day its amazing how my true live sleeps through her iPad beeps
. I am now too awake I mior some new gift start to make. . I clearly don't understand how to get ght-even take a cake
Words in the right place as they randomly appear in the middle of old lines as I want to stop and go to sleep.
