The Shades of Nature contains 50 pages of poems. They are unique and as varied as the people who delve into them. Take a rainy day with a rainbow crowning it. Some people miss the glory of the rainbow because of their disdain for rain. The lightly falling snow can create a winter wonderland to build a snowman or simply something to be shoveled.
Brooks and valleys, lakes and oceans, mountains and hills, lots of scenery, lots of seasons, animals of all kinds, sunrises and sunsets. are just a few of the situations your senses will delight in.
That's what you'll find in "Shades of Nature"
Enjoy!
The Shades of Nature contains 50 pages of poems. They are unique and as varied as the people who delve into them. Take a rainy day with a rainbow crowning it. Some people miss the glory of the rainbow because of their disdain for rain. The lightly falling snow can create a winter wonderland to build a snowman or simply something to be shoveled.
Brooks and valleys, lakes and oceans, mountains and hills, lots of scenery, lots of seasons, animals of all kinds, sunrises and sunsets. are just a few of the situations your senses will delight in.
That's what you'll find in "Shades of Nature"
Enjoy!
A Pretty Picture
The lake is of beauty.
The pines, majestic are.
The snow is floating softy,
a globe ball shaken round.
The geese fly to warmth.
Squirrels choose to stay.
This paints a pretty picture
of what nature is today.
A Whisper of Bliss
When the sun goes down
and the stars appear,
they twinkle brightly
for the sky is clear.
As the lake shimmers
by the light of the moon,
the lovely swans float
and the bluebells bloom.
A night such as this
bestows on my heart
a whisper of bliss.
May it ne’er depart.
As the River Flows
As the river flows,
flowers find its favor.
Lush ferns line the banks,
both, down and up the river.
A raccoon paws its food.
Butterflies fill the air.
Squirrels store their acorns
as, for winter, they prepare.
A sight such as this
floods the many senses.
A place most delightful,
minus the expenses.
Autumn Leaves
Autumn leaves on the ground,
arrive there after twirling round.
They are joined by leaves on trees
that are falling in the breeze.
.
The beauty of the leaves abounds
as they fall without a sound.
They lay in multi-colored piles
where they make for many smiles.
.
Happy are the children, now,
who pile them up and jump around.
Tis only when it’s time to rake
they all get a tummy ache.
.
Multi-colored leaves prevail
until the branches are all bare.
Even beyond the loss of them,
is knowing that they’ll come again.
Shades of Nature by Lesli Johnson is an independently published poetry collection. The poetry in this collection is easy to read and rich in imagery. The poet follows a form for each poem, and where there is rhyme or near rhyme, it seems natural and unforced. In fact, the only thing that seems forced in the collection is the alphabetical arrangement of the poems. Much of the poetry has a comfortable feeling to it. It is nature poetry that is complete in itself. There is no contemplating deeper meanings or hidden thoughts:
As the lake shimmers
by the light of the moon
the lovely swans float
and the bluebells bloom.
from "A Whisper of Bliss"
The image formed is complete and straightforward. There is no wondering "why bluebells?" or "what do the swans represent to the poet." In a way, it is like a Bob Ross painting. Uncomplicated strokes that create something more than the sum of the actions. Along the same lines, people ask if Ross was a great artist. The answer is no, he was more of a pop therapist. His work helped people; he calmed, soothed, and took people away from whatever was bothering them. Johnson's writing works in the same way. She writes happy little poems. They are uplifting and satisfying and will appeal to a mass audience, but in fifty years, students will not be dissecting them in literature class, and there is nothing wrong with that. Not everything needs to be high art. Sometimes all we need is a casual diversion from day to day life. A refreshing read.