when the earth shook

when the earth shook

as the blue sky appears
the moon dips into the clouds
just behind the mountain top
the earth shook as it came near
in the darkness of the early morning.

she closes her eyes
for a new day
lay your head down
song birds sing their greeting
as the baby of my soul awakes
a squeak and anoter toucan appears
watching and protecting the moon
the black bird and the earth shake
with a golden beak we wake

Written in Jan of 2004 in Costa Rica at a beautiful farm called Finca Ipe. It was the first and only earthquake I've felt. More of a shudder than a quake, but strange none the less. The moon was full, and everything was quiet. I remember thinking that there were wild animals running through the woods nearby, that was the sound that woke me from my sleep. We were sleeping in an open air stilted shelter made as a yoga retreat house. Oh, it also sounded like hard footsteps on the teak wood floors, but there was no one there. The serenity of the experience is what I remember most and how out of tune I am to natural happenings. I think I can tune-in... if I try.

music to die from

music to die from

Up on green mountain
I hear the music
of the gasoline instrument
that sputters perfume
to melt my skin

They come like the gusts of misty air
around the bends
through the cloud covered hills
gently caressing my internal
combustion chamber


Originally written 1/10/2004 in Costa Rica.
It is hard to escape diesel fumes on mountain roads.

the waves are blue

Just over there
the waves are blue
birds jump from tree to tree
I'm barely shaded by these giant leaves

What are those words I hear?
sudden laughter then a pause
Where are all of my friends?

Some of the birds don't flap their wings
The wind is hot
someone left the heater on

There are few people playing in the waves

The first of a series of "words and pictures" using imagery and words created by Scott Garrette.
This writing comes from a visit to Costa Rica in 2002.