By Jim Bates
Purple Coneflower
Monarch butterfly alights
Double delightful.
After somber rain
Pretty morning glories bloom
Unexpected gift.
Belief they will grow
Carrot seeds planted with care
Faith in Nature's hands.
Woodland stream flowing
Whispering sweet trickling songs
Nature's lullaby.
Jim lives in a small-town twenty miles west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. His stories and poems have appeared in over three hundred publications. “Resilience” a collection of twenty-seven short stories was published by Bridge House Publishing. “Periodic Stories” and “Periodic Stories Volume Two” were published by Impspired. A dystopian adventure novella “Something Better” was published by Dark Myth Publications. “Short Stuff” a collection of flash fiction and drabbles was published by Chapeltown Books. His story “Aliens” was nominated for the 2020 Pushcart Prize. His story “The Maple Leaf” was selected Non-Poetic Publication of the year by the readers of Spillwords. http://www.theviewfromlonglake.wordpress.com.
Academy of the Heart And Mind 