Ice Krispies

We approached the Hubbard Glacier,
More than seventy miles long,
And we watched it calve and listened
To its snap-pop-crackle song.

As chunks of ice broke free and fell
(That's calving) we could hear
The glacier pop and crackle
Very loud and very clear.

Occasionally, underwater 
Pieces broke off, too
And they popped up to the surface 
In a burst of white and blue.

They're fondly called "ice krispies,"
Like the cereal whose goal 
Is to crackle, snap and pop
When milk is added to the bowl.

It's super cool (no pun intended)
Watching Nature's feats
So I'd rather watch ice krispies
Than consume Rice Krispie Treats!

Photo Op Stop

We made a stop
For a photo op
By a lovely glacier lake.

Our tour group posed
And we supposed
A nem'ry was at stake.

The sun appeared
And we all cheered.
(Our smiles we didn't fake.)

The gorgeous view,
The glacier blue -
A picture meant to take.

We do not know
(One week to go)
If friendships we will make...

But in my book
Some day I'll look,
Remembering that lake.

A Day in Denali

The phone app said "unhealthy"
To describe Denali's air.
The sky was gray and smoky
All the hours we were there.

So we were disappointed;
Thought the day would be a bust
'Til somebody hollered "Moose!"
Our brakes kicked up a heap of dust.

A mother moose and baby
Ambled by in camera range.
Then an antlered caribou strolled close - 
Our luck began to change.

More caribou were spotted
In the distance, in a herd,
Then a sharp-eyed passenger yelled out
That much-awaited word:

"Bear!" We all looked over
And a grizzly came in view.
He lumbered in the bushes 
Seeking berries where they grew.

Our fortune held - the driver spied
A most impressive lynx,
Who crossed the road both back and forth.
(Just showing off, methinks.)

A final sighting- quite a brood
Of willow ptarmigan
(They're the state bird of Alaska)
Got the cameras out again.

We saw no sheep or eagles
And the sky was far from blue.
What a treat, though, watching wildlife!
(And they never even knew...)

River-Fed

At 8 p.m. the sun's still high;
The burbling creek is rushing by.
I sit out on my little deck
And watch a songbird hop and peck.

The tall thin evergreens stand guard,
Protecting my just-one-night yard
In case this peaceful reverie
Is spoiled by something I can't see.

How far superior this view
From mine back on York Avenue,
But that's what traveling is for -
To see what lies beyond your door.

Reluctantly, I close the shades
Before the sunlight even fades.
Exhaustion draws me off to bed -
My dreams await me, river-fed.

In Alaska

In Alaska, running loose
Are grizzlies, caribou and moose.
Eagles soar and whales cavort
And salmon fishing is a sport.

Glaciers calve and mountains rise,
Scenery to mesmerize.
Sadly, now, for tourist folk
The air is filled with thick gray smoke.

I am starting on a tour;
Don't know what will be in store,
But I'm hoping skies will clear
And some wildlife will appear.

Nature - lift that smoky noose.
I'd really love to see a moose!

People Watching

An airport is the perfect place
To look at people; every face
Is worth a glance and then, as well,
Their clothes and shoes, to try to tell
Where they are from, since likely they
Don't realize they are in display.

Their voices may provide a clue
But I prefer a silent view,
Imagining the varied lives
Of friends and loners, husbands, wives.
It may seem impolite to gawk
But that's expected in New Yawk!

Daily Dose

If an apple a day
Keeps the doctor away,
Just think what a poem can do!
If can open your eyes
To a hidden surprise
Or remind you of something you knew.

Why, a poem can delight
Or assure you you’re right
When it jibes with what you might believe
Or tap into your youth
With a long-forgot truth
That you never thought you could retrieve.

Though it may lack the crunch
Of an apple you munch
Still, a poem may be good for your head
‘Cause I really do think
If that doctor’s a shrink,
He’d advise poems (not apples) instead!