How The Land Lies

The speckled butterflies and warm sunshine
Augur a lovely spring day; the blue sky
Lightens the heart and makes me wonder why
You dream of towering clouds, while you recline
And wait before you climb the steep incline
Fearful of short sharp showers that may try
To offer you excuses as you sigh
And shrug your shoulders as if to decline
My invitation to explore a path
That has its sheltered points; I know them well:
A wooden bench or fallen trunk supplies
A place for me to sit and, on behalf
Of optimists, I am inclined to tell
You to come here and see how the land lies.