Beside my ankle
Upon the tip of a tall, thin blade of grass
A ladybug delights in
Its misunderstanding of gravity

Above me a mighty oak
Stretches out an arm to hold
A thick, weatherworn rope
That is keeping a tractor tire from touching the ground

All around me
Sunlight filtered through trees
Covers the ground like luminous confetti

There is a puddle directly in front of me
I catch a glimpse of my reflection in it
As a dry leaf touches down lightly on its surface

A black and yellow bird
Begins to sing a single note

An acorn hangs in the air
Suspended mid-fall

I do not move
For fear of shattering the moment

*****

"This may be just what you are looking for,"
Tells a saleswoman
To an old man in a wheelchair

"It is an original watercolor
Titled: The Image of Youth"

"It was painted in 1937;
But it has a timeless quality
Wouldn't you agree?"