Home»Tassajara»5/20-25/2025 Poetry Workshop with Naomi Shihab Nye and Paul Haller»Light and Water

Focusing on the dancing waters of Tassajara Creek: patterns and poetry.

Reflections

Pellucid yet obscure,
Crystalline waters – their surface breeze-ruffled –
Create unrecognizable patterns.


Flow

Dancing waters plunge.
Instantaneous chaos:
Lasting patterns form.


Crossing the Creek at Dawn

Here in deep valley:

Still air, still water -- predawn light tinged with blue.
The world waits,
Bright sunlit vision promising the day to come.


Refraction

Transparent waters,
Gentle sunlight – yet
Simplicity eludes.

Our view beneath the surface is frustrated.

Gentle breezes ruffle calm water;
Gentle waves distort the surface:
Refraction does the rest,
Turning clear image into distorted patterns,
A mosaic laced with bright lines of concentrated sunlight.

Resting fish,
Suspended in transparent water,
Suddenly obscure.


Reflections (2)

Almost down to the Narrows
The creek calms again.
Almost-smooth water
Reflects almost-clear visions
Of steep rocky cliff, clinging bushes, and sky.