DAILY PHOTO: Nam Dee Waterfall, Luang Namtha

“Song of the Open Road” (9 of 15) by Walt Whitman [w/ Audio]

Allons! whoever you are come travel with
me!
Traveling with me you find what never tires.

The earth never tires,
The earth is rude, silent, incomprehensible
at first, Nature is rude and
incomprehensible at first,
Be not discouraged, keep on, there are
divine things well envelop'd,
I swear to you there are divine things more
beautiful than words can tell.

Allons! we must not stop here,
However sweet these laid-up stores, however
convenient this dwelling we cannot
remain here,
However shelter'd this port and however
calm these waters we must not anchor
here,
However welcome the hospitality that
surrounds us we are permitted to receive
it but a little while.

Grassy Bank [Haiku]

Autumn morn sunlight
brightens the grassy bank,
& throws long shadows.

Funnel-web Spider [Senryū]

funnel-web spider
sprints out -- tremor-triggered --
miffed to see hiker.

DAILY PHOTO: Shack & Mountain

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Upriver [Haiku]

chugging upriver,
past karst spires, the boaters’
time seems to slow.

Lingerers [Haiku]

side-by-side trees:
one bloom-laden; one with
a few lingerers.

DAILY PHOTO: Boats on the Mekong

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Full Moon [Senryū]

a drunk staggers
around the corner, and stares
into the full moon.

DAILY PHOTO: Scenes from Kuang Si Falls