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Haiku for Old Friends

I

I walk straight to them,                                                     

posts of cedar at the edge                                 

of my east meadow.

II

Every day I talk

to them with much reverence.

They have become friends.

III

They are very old,

one hundred and sixty  years

holding up sheep fence.

IV

I bring to them my

consciousness and my life force,

sharing Mystery.

V

Immersed in Presence,

I whisper: “Please, lend me your

strength and endurance.”

VI

My eyes sweep southward,

adoring the round mountain,

an old volcano.

VII

The stones I place on

the posts came from her round, too,

bubbled by magma.

VIII

The Ultimate is

forever our Companion, 

with us all our days

IX 

and nights, moon and stars

embracing posts, stones, me and

our humble friendship.

X

Words bring them back to

Life, as if they are dreaming

while loving the land.

XI

Hugging one post is

the base of a deer antler,

another old friend

XII

who holds within it-

Self the spirit of its deer,

cut off like the post

XIII

but returned to Life

by the spirit of friendship

born out of the Land. 

Reyes is a rancher, poet, vegetarian, and retired professor of philosophy and indigenous studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. He is a member of On Land's inaugural editorial board.