To everything a purpose
By William Laferriere
I’m sitting quietly, sipping, and enjoying
An amazing, rich, dark cup of coffee,
Colombia’s bitter, black gold elixir.
The open door yields a lively, beautiful, early spring day,
April’s showers have given way
To a glorious, welcoming, body-warming sun, carefully addressing
The blooms of azaleas, forsythias, and lilacs.
The oaks and maples align with their new buds,
As if slipping into something more joyful,
A light, effervescent shade of green,
Nature’s sweet renewal.
My puppy sniffs once, twice and again,
Before launching onto the stoop,
Eyeing the shadows moving under the camouflaged canopy
Of the neighboring preserve.
He watches intently, wishing only
That he could join the new coyote (Canis latrans) offspring
As they playfully wrestle with each other
Under the watchful eye of their alpha parents.
Once they break into the sunshine I notice the pointed ears, slender muzzles,
Grayish brown faces, reddish tinges at the ears,
Silvery-gray coats adorning their backs,
And a fine, drooping bushy tail, resembling my old German Shepherd, Zappa.
Mother waddles around her pack,
Still recovering from the birth of these same 7 puppies,
Knowing they are safe within the confines of this fenced enclave,
Both parents dutifully hunt breakfast,
Nourish their offspring, and display a primal caregiving.
At long last I’m left with the following rumination:
There is order in the natural world,
For every call a response,
For every punch a counter,
For every torn leaf, a new bud,
For every death, a new life.
To everything there is a purpose!
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