I began writing these poems after I entered my retirement years. When I finally had time to slow down and savor the world around me, the poetry that I always loved came back to me as a way to combine my search for spirituality with my love of music and my fascination with the natural world. The poems in this book reach into the mystery that shimmers behind the mask of the familiar. They search for meaning in time and change, death and rebirth, as they follow the cycle of the seasons. Poems drawn from daily life are interspersed with interludes of fantasy that invite you to share the beauty and wonder that exist all around us. These poems, like all poems, are meant to be read aloud for sound and rhythm and song. Sit with this book when you come to the quiet end of your day. Light a candle, brew a cup of tea, and sample the contents at your leisure. Let the music of our English language draw you into a reverie where words become melody—simply lyric verse—no need for explanation. A plain tan pebble A raindrop burst on asphalt The ovoid bud of a rose A baby's wondering eyes Music not yet sung The all of everything