The following poem is my entry to the contest… as well as being a poem about an experience with a moos in the wilds of Colorado. Being camped near Monarch Pass [elevation 11.350 ft), maybe a couple thousand feet lower on the banks of the North fork of the Arkansas River in June of 2023. I trust that you’ll enjoy the piece, and leave me a comment or two! Respectfully submitted, Ray Whitaker

BLACK MOOSE

It resonates with me
my encounter with another mysticism of nature
at the edge of the mountain glen.
While chancing to be near it
the large, black mass standing stationary in the aspens
as if to be unnoticed by being still

a bull moose eating leaves from above it’s head
a thin line of silver fur
going from mighty shoulder to mid back
young antlers soon to be a fierce armament
now in velvet, growing
as if to scoop up the world.

Moving closer
keeping a mature pine betwixt
the likely over a thousand pounds of magnificence
and my wonder

thus occupied I did not worry
when he stopped eating
looking in my direction
standing there wondering about me perhaps
as he stood in the dappled sunlight.
Astonished at the proximity
noticing the depth of these brown eyes
pushing souls together, mine to his
brown, mine, to brown, his
iris’ different, mine round, his oval

being in the moment of no thought
now wondering if he had a name
no feeling of fear in that closeness
only around twenty paces separating us
the sun shone on me as I looked
and as if I felt that regal power-black fur
a strength, assurance, commanding the ground
he stood on, like owning the very earth.

He is next to my tree now
having moved so silently
and keeping the thick pine between us,
our eyes locked still
getting what each other had to give
my consciousness mingling
with the being of this immense creature
his long neck craning around, reaching nearly in my space.

I moved away, breaking the mesh
keeping the pine tree between we two
having realized this tree
was woefully small
having become a wood beetle now uncovered under the bark
I retreated to the next few tall pines nearby.

I am the Rhinoceros Beetle now.

Our conversation had not ended
tho no words had been spoken out loud
no malice felt, only a near wistfulness
from the moose and I.

Like a translator would be appreciated
to move the instances together somehow

staring into each other’s eyes
for longer still
feeling the thoughts
each having our own insights
of consciousness
and intuitiveness

that powerful rippling muscled black now moving away
my humanness moved in this moment.

Even wanting to know where all this would go
I did not follow deeper into this thicket, his woods.

It’s supreme to see, the difference between guided meditations between poets. The way one’s words can give spirit the will to steer a movement. And the lost of the spoken word to preform in-front of gods when its lost in moments. This pine box that kept lock the pillars of actions, and thoughts which keep me in motion. It’s these times when a call from god can give you the Courage to defeat the cowardice of self service to societies involvements. But it came from an unsealed person, who wasn’t washed by the addictions of personal cues to batter the isolated person. A personified hue-man who gave me the impression to be a super soldier. So buried alive was the feeling that my words wasn’t enough to spread a revolution.

I’ve had many memorable days and moments within 2023 that I will never forget. All involves my daughter and grandkids. Days, I thought a couple time during my life I would never see, due to two cancer diagnoses. So, those days will always be the best days of my life. There’s no other days better. But I must say, one day in particular I will never forget, and I received it so gracefully. That day would be November 10, 2023. It would be the day I received the words. “No Cancer Found”. Yes, just as the time of year I was diagnosed previously, right around the holidays. I had a couple symptoms that made my MD, as well as myself think the Big (C) may have returned. On this very special precious day, I was told, all was good, and all tests had come back negative. That’s all I wanted to hear during the holidays. One of the greatest gift to myself, after my children. I had been feeling down thinking it would ruin my holidays yet again, but God!

The best day is a slow day at work. The best day is the day that the sun is shining, but it’s not too hot outside. The best day is the first day the temperature drops in September. The best day is the day I can give my baby a kiss. The best day is the day I belly laugh with my best friends until my cheeks hurt. The best day is the day I give my mom a hug. The best day is the day I am loving and kind on purpose. The best day is the day without anxiety; the day I can breathe through it. The best day is the day I start a new book. The best day is the day I finish my new favorite book. The best day is the day I start knitting, and every day I get to since. The best day is the day I get to go on adventures with the people I love. The best day is going to the Atlanta Zoo with my oldest sister and our partners. The best day is that same day, at the zoo, when a lion made eye contact with me (I swear it’s true!). The best day is in Boston, watching the second oldest sister graduate from Harvard. The best day is reconnecting with extended family for the first time in a decade in Boston. The best day is the day I went to the Hozier concert, and I was physically connected to the music and the message more than ever before and everyone in the audience was crying and it was beautiful. The best day is the day I realized my chronic illness is teaching me how to stop and rest. The best day is the day my cat decides he wants to snuggle in my lap before bed. The best day is therapy day! The best day is the day I realized I am healing; my hard work is paying off. The best day is the day I let myself cry in front of someone else. The best day is the day I realize I’m as smart as I think I am and, yes, I can prove it to you. The best day is the day I decide to be brave. The best day is the day I do the brave thing.

Traveling this skyline for you
Taking flights through out the night for you
When I met you
You turn all my fears to reals
Turing my possibilities to my reality truth
One day, Looking forward to standing right in front of you
Holding your hands
And saying I DO
We will be decked out
In our favorite new suits
Nevertheless my best
Was when I met you on June 20th, 2023
It was our greatest test
We hardly slept and got any rest
Sleepiness nights
This love feels so calendar nice
Never second guessing
At first, our trust issues got the best
But that wasn’t the end nor the rest
Falling in love with who I am
Falling in love with this woman
Cause now all I can say is I CAN

Dear Unsealers:

2023 is rapidly coming to a close.
365 days have come and gone.
Yet, one particular day this year stands out from the rest.

It was Sunday, October 1st.

After spending a week running around mainland Greece, our group boarded a plane departing from Athens and arrived on the island of Crete. Kalimera to the city of Heraklion.

Island time had kicked in with a later start. But it would be a busy day nonetheless.

Our first stop brought us to the archeological site at Knossos. The open air seat of the Minoan civilization. The Labyrinth was underneath our feet, alas there was no sign of the mythic Minotaur around.

The next stop was to the Titakis Winery.

A tour of the vineyard began amongst the vines. Walking through vines and picking off the grapes to eat. The production process was explained further before we tasted the wine. Two tables under blue skies, sunshine and four different wines. Each one getting its due.

Further around the island we went for lunch. It would be a multi course affair with abundant food and conversation. At this point of the trip, our group had become like family. For good measure, the meal finished with a round of the liquor Ouzo. Don’t be fooled by its clarity, the drink packs quite a punch.

As we arrived back at the hotel, the day wasn’t over yet.

Upon arriving at the hotel the day before, I had seen the logo of the soccer club AEK Athens in the conference room nearby. I didn’t understand the reason why it was there, though.

As I made my way up to the hotel’s lobby, the sound of soccer chants filled the air. A big smile on my face, the star struck look on our guide’s face as AEK is the soccer team her and her sons support and bewilderment from everyone else. AEK Athens was in town for a match against the local side OFI Crete F.C..

The group of thirty two became thirty six as a pair of college students and a pair of professional Greek dancers joined us on the bus heading to dinner. The sun set over Iraklio as day turned to night.

We arrived at a taverna on the other side of the island. Nary a soul around as we walked up the steps to the terrace. Tables laid out below the vine covered roof. And on the horizon, a full moon changing colors in the sky.

The meal began with a pair of musicians providing the soundtrack for the night. Without saying a word, the island’s passion was felt.

After the meal was done and the dancers had shown us their moves, it was time for us to join the celebration and dance. The joy in the room was so strong, the ouzo that had been brought out wasn’t needed.

I went up to the musicians to thank them for the music. I mentioned to them that I was a writer and a poet.

And one of them made a wish for me: that I would return to Crete to spend the summer writing.

As I looked up at the full moon on the way back to the bus, I knew it was an amazing day.

And there was still the visit to Santorini on the near horizon.

a little toddler dabbles her toes in the Oregon coast waters, giggling and running from near her mamas.
her Portland cousins play near here with Auntie creating castles, jungles and rivers that flow the waves of the ocean waves and ecovillages below – the land, the sand interconnected to the depths of deepness below.
the sunbursts softly touch the reunion moments that cannot occur all the time.
sunbursts.
small joyful stands cheering for their favorite college teams,
swag outfits of hopes to hoops of dreams – we all have our shots.
for the beats that native musicians drum up to bless, to heal and to cheer the crowds to love,
the therapist who sits in her own softness after healing handing out hope through listening and assisting struggles of pain, finding laughter and humor to balance out the darkness.
the sunbursts come through the bubbled grey clouds that temporary pop up as life below saunters in shimmers to only be captured in the seconds that exist.
no tomorrow is promised.
no big kiss, no big hug, no sounds — so soak in it all.
soak in the life that leaves us to grow embedded in mother earth- panchamama and inti love – quechuan indigenous circles lift up and offer munay – deep love- where sunshine spreads limitlessly.

WHAT AM I MOST GRATEFUL FOR?
We Have A Technology Allowing Meaningful Interactions, Making Ourselves Share These Gifted Realities, Also Too, Especially For Unconditionally Loving Families, Our Roots.
What am I most grateful for?
If you’ve woken up and chose to keep going. Whether you’re in the calm seas of peace, or you’re riding the lows and highs of the waves that never seem to sleep.
What am I most grateful for?
To be able to create poems that explain the emotions I’ve grown in a strange dream that dreams to explore and release more. I’m grateful for my eyes, because there was a time in my life where I was legally blind for a week, and I remember thinking “how will I ever see what my drawings look like?” I’m grateful for the advances in modern medicine, for without it I wouldn’t have lasted past a few months without the creation of insulin. I’m grateful I’ve made it to 14 years past my date of diagnosis, and I plan to keep on goin, despite the lows of highs of these waves that never seem to sleep. (But always seem to dream) I’m grateful I’ve been able to come across the unsealed letters that reveal the real miracles that have survived and thrived through all types of weathers.
What am I most grateful for?
The family that’s handed me a purpose to see the dirt and to keep planting these seeds for you to read and examine, and to hopefully inspire a type of higher connection to yourself to seek the life that you deserve, and to know that each and every one of us are worth way more than worthless.

Speaking to every fighter
I’m so grateful that GOD took a chance on ME
Thankful that I am his rider
His unconditional love is beyond measures
His unconditional love is so comforting
Tangible and intangible
I just love the way GOD loves me
Don’t you see
If giving up was easy
Everyone would have took a backseat
Including me
I’m grateful for GOD’s presence
Most importantly never leaving me
Looking at my reflection
I’m grateful the mirror is always in front of ME
In the presence of darkness
GOD’S love always trembles the unseen
What are the fighters singing
Worthy Worthy Worthy
It’s a grateful human being

I’m forever grateful
That I am able to share my words
With people
And they often become inspired
By my positivity and willingness to share
Openly and comfortably
Everything I’ve been through
From heartache to heartbreak
There is no shame
Just lessons to be learned
I’m grateful for them all
Teachable moments that make me stand tall
I practice gratefulness every day
That’s why I’m grateful for everyone
I encounter daily
From strangers I meet on the street
To inconnus that have become great supporters
In any and everything I do
I’m forever grateful for restored love
Especially the woman that accepted me
And made me appreciate love again
Thank you for first being a friend
I’m forever grateful
For existing in a world
That doesn’t want you to survive
But I find a way to survive the odds stacked against me
Blessed to be alive
And continuously see
That I’m surrounded by the people meant to help me navigate this life!