“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 