palette of elation

simply to sharpen my awareness

of the beauty around me, i look

in order for a natural representation

of each of the colors of the rainbow

red, today, is apple (noting with joy

the golden-yellow, wiggly lines

descending from the shoulders)

orange – sunrise struggling between

purple clouds

yellow – leaves, as Alli Weiss put it,

learning ‘the sweet song of dying’

green – remarking trees in prolific hues

from chartreuse, pea green, avocado olive, khaki, bottle, sea, cedar, emerald

blues in luscious abundance from sky

to spruce needles to rare autumn

fallen lacy leaves

purple, magenta, hyacinth

and tiny, pink, shy, bell-like florets

even remembering this gorgeous pallet

of my world bring me warm peace

and hope for a happy tomorrow

The Vatican’s summer palace

summer palace, guest house behind

Italian brick wall – opulent, as befits

the greatest landowner and receiver

of gifts to honor deity

one elected after another and another

for centuries and still grand in power

and influence as supreme for millions

ceilings arching to sixty meters and more

painted, arched, frescoed, gilded

long corridors extended, side-roomed

elegantly lined with exquisite statues

and floored with patterned, ancient marble

                        mjNordgren  12/17/2022  Rome

moon and particles

 pollution can be beautiful

as when it scatters

the rising moon’s rays

enhancing illusion on illusion

that our satellite is huge, orange

and shining

work carried on and accomplished

a lifetime of careful labor

added to parents’

to make of a farm

a palette of charm and beauty

abundant for the eye and appetite

            mjNordgren  10/26/2022  McMinnville

know thy place

at the shore of trillium lake

with mt. hood reflected

in its majestic semi-snow of july

takes one’s breath in awe

as nature should when she

displays her beauty

or her power