Writing

Japan, 1863. Across the globe, the civil war rages.

I made the long walk

Across the plains,

through the village path

under the stars.

At long last, I came to the monastery

On April 1, 2025, the 2024 Jasper wildfire was finally declared extinguished by Parks Canada, marking an end to the nine-month-long struggle against Jasper National Park’s largest wildfire in more than a century.

My dog,

Her fur like snow,

She protects and loves us.

Her beautiful, gentle heart is,

Her shine.

Give me a sign.

A sign that everything will be okay.

Give me a sign;

That we’ll be able to work through the pain.

Wars that rage on throughout the world,

Let them not continue.

Let them be ended by the love and kindness of those who speak.

The wind blows cold.

The trees sway in the autumn breeze.

Fall is almost here. 

I can feel it.

Soon, the bears will go into hibernation.