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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

A Poem by Katharine Cook

How the Park Saves the Wildlife in Me

Whenever the all night industrial street noise
 surrounding my downtown Pt. Reyes apartment
keeps me up all night, finding me desperate
for restoration resources  in the morning. . .

I take myself to the Bear Valley State Park
Visitor’s Center in my ’97 Nissan van,
bought years ago for its spacious interior--
one that could accommodate a sleeping cot
should I ever need that --  and find the
one shady spot under a tree, if I am lucky. 
I put the sun screens up in the front and
back windows, hang my hand-sewn car
curtains on the side windows and sleep well
into the day for as long as I need, to recover
my health, sanity and good will. 

Just now back from a 4-hour excursion,
feeling rested and awake, I am glad to
be alive once more, thank the  Bear Valley
State Park for making my life, both wild
 and tame, possible once  more.