for Catherine, my daughter
on her birthday
Tahoe science center's "Sandbox" plateaus
grains of white, rose, and tan. Placing your hand
over them, a light radiates shadows
like flowing water, filling curving land's
valleys -- symbol of birthspirit bringing
lake of life. Frank and Kay's book "Stopping Time"
offers before-and-after photos, signs
of devastation to Tahoe's nature -- crimes
by loggers stripping earth without care. Then
years later, forests renewed -- science
working with nature -- birthspirit's art seen
through rebirth. This somehow leads to essence
of our nature: light of your birthspirit,
and my gratitude, being part of it.
Roger Armbrust
August 21, 2015
