A Japanese Garden

The snowbird trees are putting on their colorful autumn coats Preparing to follow the sun southward The provincial evergreens are hunkering down for winter All are well groomed in this spiritual oasis A gently convex (concave if you are a koi) wooden bridge crosses a pond The bridge is framed by the textures of nature I leave my point of view And walk onto it Looking down I see koi lounging and strolling Or perhaps they are wavy reflections of the koi-colored leaves above I hear the murmurs of respectful visitors to this cathedral of nature Reflecting their souls Looking back to where I was standing is not inspiring Murky Colorless Rigid Perpendicular Utilitarian Nature pounded into efficient shapes Soulless My office In which is hanging a window onto my deepest and highest thoughts A large photograph of an autumn scene in a Japanese Garden