I walked around our farm’s “block” one day,
Each side of which is a country mile.
Noticing details along my way;
Sights, sounds, smells, and feelings made me smile.
Cows in a pasture gently grazing;
Some glanced at me but not with alarm.
Now horses who at me were gazing;
Sensing, I felt, I meant them no harm.
I strode past a wood, hiding a deer;
Watched two squirrels clatter up a tree;
Crossed a bridge above water so clear;
Passed some hives but not one buzzing bee.
I smelled freshly cut hay in the field;
Farmer’s crops help him pay his lender.
Pondering the joys my walk did yield;
Loving this simple country splendor.
From the bay of blue hills at the edge of placid plateau,
flows with fervent ebullience the sparkling stream
in the emerald forest with the murmur of timeless tune.
Twilight filigree created by crimson clouds in spectral sky
suffuses me with golden touch seeping through my skin.
Flying over the crystal waters of the fluorescent flow,
returning from cold convoy of robins chirp springtime song.
As in the boughs of trees the nascent jade leaves rustle,
beguiled butterflies flitter around the blushing buds,
swinging with the resonant whisper of the rippling air.
The rain-rinsed satin sky shines in the valley of flowers,
the floating fragrance of spring I smell, enthralled.
With the tinged touch of cosmic charm of the rainbow
up above the tree canopy the clouds melt in cool rain,
the drops are like elixir of heaven, my taste buds retain.
When the drape of onyx night wraps the dusky sky,
the moonshine magic turns it into an argentine orb,
adorned by the jeweled stellar crown of constellation.
I’m charmed by the splendorous physical world around me,
perceive in the cradle of nature the niche of divine delight.
….
I hear the susurrus of wind
combing through sycamore
leaves,
a liquid, percussive hush
that trembles against the
windowpane.
Distant traffic hums- a
low, guttural undertone to
sparrows
arguing in bright, staccato
syllables above the
telephone wires.
I touch the luminous grain
of the wooden table,
cool and pitted, worn
smooth by years of palms
and coffee rings.
Sunlight lays itself across
my skin in incandescent
ribbons,
while the air carries the
faint, powdery silk of dust in
motion.
I smell petrichor rising
from the rain- washed
pavement outside,
mingled with rosemary from
the kitchen and the
resinous breath of pine.
There's cinnamon, too-
warm, nostalgic, curling like
amber smoke-
and the metallic tang of
ozone after thunder has
passed.
I tasted morning on my
tongue: coppery water,
the buttery unctuousness
of toast, honeyed and dark,
and the faint, crystalline
effervescence of cold air
when I step outside and the
world fills my mouth.
This is the world- tactile,
sonorous, fragrant,
palpable.
Not abstract. Not Distant.
A benediction of sensation,
pressing itself, generous
and vivid, into me.
The physical world around me is constantly changing,
sometimes for the good and sometimes for the bad.
I keep saying,
leave things alone until I die.
Then make all the changes you want,
because I will not be in the middle of the changes.
The tech world is moving faster than lightning,
what was new yesterday is old today.
Some say,
the physical world around me is an illusion.
How can I prove this to be right or wrong?
It is something to think about.
In this changing physical world around me,
I need to be like a young tree and bend in the wind of life.
In my physical world on this planet Earth
Existing in the Northern Hemisphere
I see the beauty of four seasons pass
Like Winter's white, the pastel Spring reborn
Then Summer's vibrant blooms and varied greens
Give in to Autumn's spree of red and golds
I smell the brisk cold air of Winter days
And scents of soup and stew complete the joy
Yet come the Spring, the air is filled with balm
That summer blooms fulfill with perfumed air
To shift the cycle soon to Autumn's bliss
with smells of warm fruit pies and burning leaves
Oh yes, touched by the sting of Winter air
the icy cold of wind and snow outdoors.
And then by Spring's warm breeze that renews hope
To soon feel Summer's balm of beach and pool
Make ready for the cooling Autumn days
To feel the warmth of bonfires once again
I hear the Winter winds that blizzards howl
The steady April rains that nurture Spring
The booming thunderstorms of Summer's fling
And Autumn's sounds of harvest in the fields
Thankful for senses as these seasons fill
My blest physical world on this planet Earth
The physical world around me to perceive
Five sensual organs are always active.
I can see living- non living objects
enjoying each precise and perfect
I smell each stuff whether pungent or nice !
Fragrant flowers or strong odour of spice
I feel wind even being invisible
while breathing or touch of breeze permissible.
I relish food with amazing taste buds
I survive, though earning bread may be hard .
My brain works, thinks and decides to guide,
Sometimes expressive, sometimes wants to hide.
My tongue is prompt to talk and interact
wilh circumstances to act and react.
I cope up with physical world around.
taking challenge and struggling with surrounds.
Physical world around : Most important
I'm bound to deal with keeping me vibrant.
Physical world around may be hostile
or may be favourable on its sweet style.
Whatever may be my circumstances
' No question of ignoring' arises.
NATURE is still smarter than SCIENCE so far .
Physical world embowers : I surrender.
I hear our kittens with their purring cheer
with mother cat of meow-meowing care
oh, how they chirp merrily, vibrantly trilling
then gladly expressing chirrups, reigning over deafening silence.
Amidst coldness of rainy afternoon striving to embrace me
I feel our dog pet with pillow-cushioned fur caressing my feet
so, yielding to the soothing touch of each other
we both bask in the warmth of closeness.
Seeing dear pets in their haven of rest
playfully huddling inside their colorful autumnal pet pens
I seem to behold Genesis-exposed Eden
with animals in wondrous paradise.
Against conflicting antiseptic disinfectant outside
and the lemon-scent spray pervading in our living room
I delight in the refreshing newly-bathed Doggie Allilee
blending with the talc-smell of our Meowna Cattie.
While our pets feast with crunchy dog meal
and yummy cat's cheesy bites
I savor the ginger-filled soup of mixed green-leafy vegetables
Grateful to God for our palatable viand of nutritious roasted chicken.
Oh Christmas, how you stroke tender passion,
with images of fireside hugs and sighs,
as blood red Union fused by warm glow flame,
and snow flake whirl eyed glance igniting pledge,
from hearts aroused who touch sweet season surge,
that silver moonlit physical rapt mist,
when fingers entwine, nose nudge fostered care,
fond memories that ooze close attachment,
underneath a molten candle flicker
Your slightest touch of love jingles my bells
My heart begins to dance a tango
Your romantic banter swells my head
For you I am a beauty to your beast
Such white lies are warm despite snow
Cranberry cries can’t be denied
For my tears fall like sleet on the street
Whenever I can not see you my love
Let us find the mistletoe an excuse
To show public affection and caress
Planting kisses like pink poinsettias
Swooning in gold light of sun or moon
You touch me with your thoughts
More than you know and I glow
Every time I think of our journey
to this island called love
An arm around one’s shoulder lends comfort;
a hand reaching out lifts somebody up;
a big bear hug shows loved ones affection.
Hand in hand, small children walk to school.
One day, their hand gingerly will touch
that of the one for whom their fondness grows.
Fingers trace the face and stroke the body
of the darling they share sweet kisses with.
What is love without some physical touch?
She wore my vision in her eyes,
she felt my fingers hands and arms embracing her she Soul was delighted but yet surprised
The scent of me endowed embraced her nose her heart yet beat yet her spirit knows. Such a souring sigh but yet within her breath we embraced we engaged. We Touch breast to chest and long and dating sensational spiritual attraction are physical interaction...
---alast our spiritual physical attraction
12/5/25
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr 2025
Mike Bayles
Get Well Card from a Writers’ Group to a Friend in a Physical Rehab Unit
What is important is what we lay on the table.
Poems and stories we write find new life
on the third floor of the library in Muscatine.
We read our works, listen and make suggestions.
We argue and laugh, but we’re just trying to help
every writer make their work better.
each night
We are working or retired, poets and novelists
sharing our lives and points of view. We have
driven highways and city streets to be there.
Every third Tuesday of the month we sit at the table.
in quiet skies
You are the eldest, many books written
and every meeting we look to you.
We look for revelations and for how
the pieces speak to us. Works shared
bring us together.
a shining star
*Braided Haibun Form
Sometimes the best way to love life is by speaking to others that make you smile and feel love!
As men we are given the task of being the pursuer, well this is not always the case.
What can a person say but think of a Snow White Dove!
Wanting a wife and children has now become a race.
We become tired of being rejected and placing on our mind and heart another burden.
I love you!
Focusing on becoming perfected is a burden.
It is true,
Seeing you smile has given me joy
When you are in pain I feel sad!
I am truthful even if my words sounds coy.
Not being there to prevent your pain makes me mad!
You cause my heart to beat!
I want and love you and even your cute stinky feet!
My heart cried
Please loved him no more.
It hurt more and more than before.
My brain questioned
Why did you keep on thinking of him for?
You should practise
"Out of sight, out of mind"
My eyes pleaded
Where has he been all these days?
I wanted to see him just one more time.
Why was he so hard to find?
Made me wondering days and nights,
Would he still be sitting at the same place?
At the desk to surf on the internet as always.
My nose sniffed:
He had strange odour, but it was quite unique.
At the corners of my lips,
My round dimples tipped
He also had two but elongated in shape,
And they appeared each time he grinned.
His face was almost perfect,
Except a calculus on the buccul of his tooth.
By now my hairs proudly tousled,
I kept your neck warm in winter
And gave you shades in summer.
But he had none what so ever.
My legs were short and stout,
His legs were long but could not play
The swings in the play ground.
Has my brain teased or cheered my heart?
When and will he mend my broken heart?
No words to describe his eyes,
I hardly looked at them due to being shy.
Issues
I posses so many and can’t seem to lose them.
The thought of it makes my head spin in circles.
Friends who lie and betray and won’t stand by my side when I need them.
Family who doesn’t love and care when ur at ur lowest point.
Everything is a issue from the sun rising to the moon going down.
Everything can cause a issue.
But the biggest issue u can have is what is inside. U might be the issue to all ur problems and also might be the solution to it.
Talking,calling screaming for help won’t solve anything. Mental,physical and emotional issues are carved deep inside u.
A type of pain NO ONE can forget a type of pain that makes u wanna scream for death.
And still u keep on living even with those issues moving forward with those hardships holding ur head high to the future to maybe one day get rid of those issues.
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