Spring morning; air full of promise in the nostrils; <br />scents of flowers yet to bloom; <br /> <br />dew as diamonds on the grass stems; <br />sunshine on the hills across the river valley; <br /> <br />outside the rabbit hole, a terrier, crouched <br />on the scuffed reddish run-dust of a hundred paws; <br /> <br />focussed, completely still, every muscle ready and alert; <br />ear occasionally twitching at some movement underground; <br /> <br />now, all things are praise. <br /> <br /> <br />To live with praise, to live in praise, <br />to know; be blessed; be full; <br /> <br />joining, giving back, taste of that <br />which satisfies beyond all else; <br /> <br />then, dare to speak it: hear within the voice <br />knowledge of eternity in living now; <br /> <br />today, all things are praise. <br /> <br /> <br />The terrier, full five minutes still, <br />knows the rabbits knowing him; <br /> <br />gets up as if there’s nothing in the world <br />but this moment; scampers, wagging tail; <br /> <br />glances towards you, as if to share <br />the joy of dogginess and paw and earth; <br /> <br />a sudden move of breeze, off the still sea down there <br />to bless the land; the view quietly sparkles as if to say, <br /> <br />you will remember this all your life <br />because a moment speaks eternity; <br /> <br />today, all things are praise<br /><br />Michael Shepherd<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-praise/