Beneath the Perfect Beauty of it All

Beneath my favourite tree
In my favourite spot
On a warm, sunny Sunday
Breeze tickling the leaves
Rippling the glassy lake
Birdsong
And the smell
Of freshly mown grass
A swim, a little later
And then a fire
On the beach
With friends
And food
Beer and wine
Good cheer
While the full moon rises
Behind my favourite tree
Casting a bushy shadow
On the glimmering lake

And I marvel
At the perfect beauty of it all

Beneath my favourite tree
In my favourite spot
On a cold, grey Sunday
Wind rattling bare branches
Blowing snow across the frozen lake
Utter quiet
And the pinch
Of frozen air in my nostrils
A skate, a little later
And then a fire
In the house
With friends
And food
Beer and wine
Good cheer
While the full moon rises
Behind my favourite tree
Casting a spindly shadow
On the glimmering snow

And I marvel
At the perfect beauty of it all

Then I wonder
How I’d never seen the beauty of bare branches before

Having seen it
I try to see beneath
The perfect beauty of it all