Usually I am indifferent
Along this wooded path
Never taking much notice
Of the clumsy stacking of stones
By the anxious and overwhelmed
A self-soothing ritual
For the purpose of reflection
Mindfulness a trendy
Respite from apprehension
I prefer the undisturbed
A veristic placement
Of the chaos of nature
But this cairn differs
From most compositions
Someone has discovered
A massive block
Quarried hewn abandoned
Apparently useless
Over a century ago now
Overtaken by moss and lichens
And placed upon it
Five stones imperfectly
Chiseled round by glaciers
Spaced asymmetrically singly
And one upon another
At a particular moment
You will see if you are patient
The soft morning light
Illuminate the sculpture
In green chiaroscuro
Whatever the motivation
It is beautiful
Unexpectedly a comfort
David Sapp, writer, artist, and professor, is a Pushcart nominee. His work appears widely in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. His publications include chapbooks Close to Home and Two Buddha, a novel Flying Over Erie, and a book of poems and drawings titled Drawing Nirvana.