Garden Voice
By Dan Radel

From minds edge I hear,
ordinary, yet extraordinary this morning song. Robins singing,
raccoons scurry to their sleep. Annoyed perhaps at her

song. Mornings musical continues its long run. Delight
has found that special place. Feathered
actors await offstage. The choir
now joins the cast. Tree fairies whisper praise.
Night surrenders as crows sing frantic response.
Only the other crows dig the grungy voices.
Nocturnal critics cover their ears.

Lonely flickers duel with stiletto wails.
On bounce the actors in stellar blue suits.
Vain jays that covet morning's attention.
Elated chickadee's dance for me.

Doing the steps from old.
A smile escapes from inside.
Dazzling, the sun breaches the trees.
Dancing, my heart praises this day.
Your spirit answers in garden voice.

.

Dan Radel is currently finishing his BA in Creative Writing at Antioch University in Seattle. His interest in poetry was born out of the murder/suicide of his wife and daughter in April of 2000. At the urging of his mental health counselor he begin to journal and within that journaling begin to write poetry to work through grief, anger, and loss. This lead him to leave his job of twenty-four years at Boeing and return to school at Antioch to achieve a dream long thought dead, to write.