*Tai Chi

Slowly imitating the old man from Taiwan,

I lift my arms to the golden dome of leaves

as the sun slips behind the mountain.

The master of Tai Chi, so small and steady,

Holds his pose with balance and strength,

the epitome of meditation in motion.

Canadian geese call to us from overhead;

Children laugh with abandon in the distance.

Surrounded by the golden trees losing their autumn leaves,

We move silently, attempting the moves of the master.

Lost in the moment, embraced by the beauty

of the sky and the trees, 

I discover muscles long since forgotten

as I balance unsteadily on the grassy floor.

My breath brings me back to this moment.

One day, perhaps I will stand on one leg,

poised and strong, and be aware of nothing

beyond this moment.  For now,

I hear the geese, the children, the cars.

I think of concerns, and things to do.

Breathing the cleansing air through my nose,

my thoughts return to this place and time, and

I realize that living in this moment is all there is.