Things to Do When Taking a Hike (JM)

 (Joseph MacRae, September 22, 2021, Autumn Equinox, second day of Sukkot, feast day of  The Hearer Icon of the Mother of God, of above Saint Gunthildis, and of Saint Basilia. Image from here.)

Things to Do When Taking a Hike

1. Show respect at nature’s door, 

as the indigenous peoples have since antiquity,

2. looking up and thanking the Creator for creating our Earth Mother,

3. taking a small offering,

4. holding it up to the four winds,

5. asking a blessing and 

permission of the people of the land

to enter, and to protect and

guide us along their paths.

6. Treasure herein lies. Any 

       gift you may receive,

           a picture rock, 

                a talking stick, 

                         a feather,

                          Upon returning,

make an offering of thanks

     for a bountiful day.

*From prompt of crafting an advice poem: choosing a favorite activity/lesson, choosing six verbs and heading a sentence/point with each one, noting what lines stand out and fine-tuning for deeper sensory detail and use of metaphor/similie. From Daisy Barrett-Nash's Legacy Poetry, September 15 and 22, 2021.