Blue Sky

Encompassing the mountains, 

Forests of pine trees,

Snow-covered peaks, 

Sunrises like sunsets all

A home to all your sorrows,

Built with many pains

Carved with utmost joy  

A claim to this land

Filled with fallen leaves on the ground,

Healthy crops and plenty of fresh air

Welcomes all the people

Of many cultures of the world

Waiting for a storm, corralled by the mountains,

Brought alive by the wind, nourished by the sea

Meets the gaze of dancing waves,

And revels, never ceases to amaze

Rising with the sun high above the summit

And being so transparent, so supreme

The Blue Sky so ever-present,

So wholesome, so vital, so unseen

Simply and very quietly

Cradles the sleepy boats,

Passes under bridges,

Hikes across the woods

Holds the sun in place

And gently embraces the clouds

to give the wind a rest.

Originally written October 2005

Edited March 2011

Naked Trees

I am fascinated with their shapes

Reaching out to the skies,

Trying to touch the ground,

Void of the green that covered them

Or the blooms that punctuated them

Naked

Exposed

At times covered with white snow and ice,

Some times with moss and often with dew

Resting, hibernating, and getting ready

To go farther

To extend themselves towards the clouds

Definitely towards the sun

Arching and creating cages

Visions of thin needles

Weaving into the forest

Breaking the fabric of the horizon

Piercing the sunset and the moonlight

Branches, born from the trunk of the tree

Naked

Unprotected

Seemingly lifeless

But so alive and so daring

Like swords,

Cutting through the air

Like delicate ornaments

Adorning the hills

And carrying themselves

With grace

With certainty that the green leaves will return

That the blooms will follow

And the gold, red and orange foliage

Will fall again

Before they’re naked

Again.

Alessandra Olmedo

March 21, 2011

Outside, Inside.

Outside of me there’s the world. The sun and the fields, the hills and the roads. The people, the noise of a crowd, the song of a child’s voice. There’s the rain and the snow. The cherry blossoms and the pine cones littered at the feet of the forest.

Outside of me there’s the silence of a quiet moment, sitting by the crackling fireplace. There is also the havoc of a million battles going on in the universe.

Outside of me –but very close- there’s the stinky breath, but unconditional love and slobbery smile of my pup. And also very close the laughter that I share with my friends; the challenging days at work; the long conversations with Mom; the soft touch of the man I love...

But wait.

Inside of me there’s the joy from the warmth of the sun and the joy of the journey through those fields, hills and roads. And the things that I learn from people and the pure innocence of a child’s voice. I also feel the damp of the rain and the cold of the snow inside my bones. And the pink of the cherry blossoms in my heart and the greatness of the forest in my soul.

Inside of me there’s the peace of sitting by the fireplace and the distress of knowing about the battles.

Inside of me there’s absolute adoration for the pup and for Mom and for the man I love. And there’s a sense of belonging thanks to my friends and a sense of purpose from my days at work.