Luther's Backyard

(Free Verse)

I stood in Luther's "backyard",
A walled enclave behind Wittenburg castle.
I remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday,
Even though it was Nineteen-ninety-nine.

There were trees, bearing white blossoms
And fresh grass.
What was once one large enclosure,
Including Katie's beer crops
Was now divided by a road.

I had some sense now
Of those things which inspired Luther's
Writings about Nature.
Now when I need a safe place
In my own mind,
That is the place
To which I return.
---C. Marie Byars, (c) 2009

Spring "Song"

(from "Pippa Passes")
The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;

The hill-side's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in His heaven---
And all's right with the world*!
---Robert Burns
*Well, sort of. The natural world goes along with a lot of beautiful & good things in it; but it, too, is damaged by sin.  Even Burns' mention of "the thorn" reminds us of the curse brought on by Adam's sin in Genesis chapter 3.