Wandering

I have wandered trails
of dappled sunlight
others furrowed with mud
stepped on soft layers of pine needles
climbed boulder after boulder
squat behind glacial erratics
when nature called
and never tired of the trees
whether in summer clothes
autumn’s colors
or disheveled and bare
in winter and early spring

watching for toads, chipmunks and
small snakes along the way
or a glorious view from up high
the lakes and ponds
with water lilies or
covered in ice
curving shore line
kayaks, canoes or bob houses
any season is joyful
except perhaps for the black fly one

this is my kind of wandering
not the moving I did in my younger
years, 12 times in 11 years
then I felt like the stereotypical
wandering Jew

now my wandering is with friends
and family, sadly without a dog
but my legs still carry me to the end
of whatever trail we pick
and I’m grateful for each hike
as I get older
and the memories I keep
of the beauty in each place

© 2009 Linda H. Feinberg

I am glad spring is here. Soon the snow will melt off the trails and we will be out wandering again. I'm looking forward to it.