The Everglades

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> Panthers and pythons. The air pregnant with stealth.<br /> <br /> Its delicate birds measure each delicate step.  Alert to kill.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KuVvmZrSJYQ/XndyuyZDj3I/AAAAAAAASf4/2B66gq0728YjyNpF4ZOn6BtbvbtAcO2eQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/eco%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KuVvmZrSJYQ/XndyuyZDj3I/AAAAAAAASf4/2B66gq0728YjyNpF4ZOn6BtbvbtAcO2eQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/eco%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> A grey log watches. See its unmoving eye.  It is a crocodile, its razor teeth mangrove roots.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-weABETKgalY/XndzLuX1AfI/AAAAAAAASgM/oRIdVj8oqqUU27COXyIKlq1EUUVjOaPjwCEwYBhgL/s1600/croc%2Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-weABETKgalY/XndzLuX1AfI/AAAAAAAASgM/oRIdVj8oqqUU27COXyIKlq1EUUVjOaPjwCEwYBhgL/s640/croc%2Blog.jpg" width="480" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Jeweled snails journey in ethereal silence over lichens, moss, under dense thickets, across the mud...</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsMe-flU0eM/Xnd1TuktB3I/AAAAAAAASgY/anjTP-fRta4Mt5JicMxMHH8YzLKpy0M-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/snail%2Bcrawl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qsMe-flU0eM/Xnd1TuktB3I/AAAAAAAASgY/anjTP-fRta4Mt5JicMxMHH8YzLKpy0M-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/snail%2Bcrawl.jpg" width="300" /></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZiTAPhpstI/Xnd2NoRLgtI/AAAAAAAASg8/Y8RXI2ZLhKsozg5ORODeQOUk3Sqi2_leQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/purple%2Bmorning%2Bglories%2Bjungle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kZiTAPhpstI/Xnd2NoRLgtI/AAAAAAAASg8/Y8RXI2ZLhKsozg5ORODeQOUk3Sqi2_leQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/purple%2Bmorning%2Bglories%2Bjungle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> A hundred birds squawk and scream madly from a swamp hidden in the jungle</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Air plants, swept by hurricanes and dropped into the crooks of fantastical trees shoot bursts of color, stamens searching pistils</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sSlBRhJDkFQ/Xnd4wkMw-FI/AAAAAAAAShY/m_3tplpPBTUuJ2J1rmA2JxeS4vLHq8G7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/air%2Bplants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sSlBRhJDkFQ/Xnd4wkMw-FI/AAAAAAAAShY/m_3tplpPBTUuJ2J1rmA2JxeS4vLHq8G7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/air%2Bplants.jpg" width="300" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <span id="goog_382066842"></span><span id="goog_382066843"></span>I wake to the hoot owl outside my window in the chilly mountains, two days and a million miles from the owl I fell asleep to last.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tL1ya-uITl8/Xnd5aIZNSlI/AAAAAAAASho/qGqwpbBljA8n-sA2tY_RdL5oi7IgjQHSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cypress%2Bat%2Beco%2Bpond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tL1ya-uITl8/Xnd5aIZNSlI/AAAAAAAASho/qGqwpbBljA8n-sA2tY_RdL5oi7IgjQHSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/cypress%2Bat%2Beco%2Bpond.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8yE9rlIN1M/Xnd6Z5fB9OI/AAAAAAAASh4/zFBh06pbITghk4k8zZvuPaOK_gX3UFs_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/9%2Bmile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8yE9rlIN1M/Xnd6Z5fB9OI/AAAAAAAASh4/zFBh06pbITghk4k8zZvuPaOK_gX3UFs_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/9%2Bmile.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> The pull is stronger than gravity</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJQeh-r-A4E/Xnd6nr3idlI/AAAAAAAASh8/1JqF4ys6fncDZDnBCzCMXy3h16ZxylkIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/grassy%2Bwaters%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJQeh-r-A4E/Xnd6nr3idlI/AAAAAAAASh8/1JqF4ys6fncDZDnBCzCMXy3h16ZxylkIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/grassy%2Bwaters%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> Slow sheets of crystal water<br /> <br />                  slide steadily through tall grasses<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r0Wv4QFnDkw/Xnd6vvaZ5tI/AAAAAAAASiA/1BqqgnDd84gdgNahDvoFdEdgQQT4MEH5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/grassy%2Bwaters%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r0Wv4QFnDkw/Xnd6vvaZ5tI/AAAAAAAASiA/1BqqgnDd84gdgNahDvoFdEdgQQT4MEH5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/grassy%2Bwaters%2B2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> toward the Gulf<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oB6RY9B4WM8/Xnd67-QMRiI/AAAAAAAASiI/6iZzeVdmPeUSv_AS5xMC-DN2jduoLfLswCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bay%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oB6RY9B4WM8/Xnd67-QMRiI/AAAAAAAASiI/6iZzeVdmPeUSv_AS5xMC-DN2jduoLfLswCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/bay%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> Sheets of my heart peel, tearing away bit by bit and slide steadily toward the bay.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OBgDQY2_tko/Xnd62D7wj0I/AAAAAAAASiE/WRhSgnA4OqcM72QAarNxjbnMi8HV2O5fACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bay%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OBgDQY2_tko/Xnd62D7wj0I/AAAAAAAASiE/WRhSgnA4OqcM72QAarNxjbnMi8HV2O5fACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/bay%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /></div>

The Everglades

Panthers and pythons. The air pregnant with stealth. Its delicate birds measure each delicate step.  Alert to kill. A grey ...