Campo Grande...Big Country

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Here we are in the great big countryside of Brazil. We have seen lots of cowboys, country music, and great big barbeques that reminds me so much of rural America. As Becky mentioned, we are about to start our Pantanal adventure and then head off to Bolivia where we will most likely encounter snow and very cold temperatures!

I wanted to share two of the poems I have written relating to my experiences in Brazil.

The first poem came to me as Becky and I were walking with some of our Brazilian friends at night in Ilha Grande. Suddenly we entered into the most beautiful sweet smell. It came from a flower that leaves that beautiful sweet smell only at night.

Brazilian Lady of The Night

There is a sweet gentle smell
that only comes out at dark.
They call her the Lady of the Night.
She is the seal of two lovers hands at dusk
and the companion of a lonely mans heart at midnight.
She is the sound of the corumba on rat-tattling fingers
and the dancing feet of overjoyed souls.
She is the blanket that hummingbirds sleep against,
nestling close to her strong branches.
She kisses the night sky with her breath,
blessing all that breathe in
her gentle, motherly touch.

The next poem came to me as Becky and I were climbing in the Parque Nacional da Serra dos Orgaos.

High on a Mountain Top

High on a Mountain Top
lies the stillness of the soul.
Where silence wraps around trees existence,
interrupted by the sweet sound
of birds singing with the wind,
or the rain beating hard
against the earth.
Where the sun feeds the ground,
ground untouched by human greed and ignorance.

Go to the mountain top
and stay awhile.
Rest your soul in the silence of the trees
and allow the birds song to heal your burdened mind.
Stay a bit longer
Wiggle your toes in the clean earth
and let its roots cleanse your tired feet
and water you with its wisdom and age.
Watch the mountain top
and there you will find the stillness of the soul.

happy valentines day!!!

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