“Painted Turtle” by Doug Sharpe
unlovely dignified bearing
longevity marking his shell
time and symmetry shaped
time to ponder to think
deeper down than survival
to grapple with quieter
mysteries questions of
corporeal existence to muse
he must surely have wisdom
his unhurried passage gives
pause to the river course
silences nether woods stills
forest creatures who each
give close listen attending to
even his least rasping words
such is reverence toward
age in the uncertain wild
From my book Pieces of Wine
Poesy plus Polemics 
You paint a fine picture, Paul, be it the life of the turtle or that of man, both work to perfection.
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feeling as old and as slow as I do, I think I also feel a kinship with the turtle
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Once my son had a Georgia box turtle with one gimpy leg who was named Alfalfa. I knew and loved him well and found him when he died underneath the kitchen table. He would feel honored by your poetry.
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RIP Alfalfa
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‘his unhurried passage gives / pause to the river course’ – What a clever deduction certainly un`noted by most save an old poet sitting at the river’s edge . . . Love it!
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My favorite lines, as well.
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thanks, ken
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much appreciated, peter
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Reblogged this on davidbruceblog #2.
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thank you for sharing my poem with your readers
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