Perspectives from a canoe: creativity in quiet refuge

A celebratory haiku to savor the sounds of solitude

A retreat to the lake: the art and silence of water

This past week, I escaped to a small lake close to home. Nanticoke Lake, owned and managed by New York State, is little used because of its remoteness. A blessing in disguise for paddlers like me - I crave quiet and less-used waterways to dip my paddle. It was a beautiful morning - in the 50’s but sunny! The cooler air energized me. I started to feel a sense of calm as I set my canoe by the water.

This post is part of my Perspectives from a Canoe series - where I share how my paddling adventures shape my journey and support my inner well-being.

As soon as I pushed my paddle into the water and felt the ripples of the water tug at my canoe - I heard all kinds of poetic words float into my brain……..as if the sounds of the water and the wind were pushing aside all outside noise to let these words fill my brain. I felt at peace in the moment as my canoe softly floated into the water.

All of a sudden - my mind perked up. Before I forget these poetic images floating around in my mind, I should somehow try to remember them - so I could possibly write about them later - maybe eloquently.

Erik Hogan

of FieldNotes continues to inspire me as he writes in his notebook each evening in his tent. I quickly shot some photos and a short video to help me remember my thoughts as I paddled. I etched into my brain - the words like ripples, wind, lily pads floating like art, goldfinches singing and flitting in the trees, solitude and a sense of being at peace.

Greeted by goldfinches

As I carried my canoe to the lake, I was welcomed by a flock of goldfinches. They were flitting and flying among the tree branches and dipping down through the prolific purple spotted knapweed. I had never see so many goldfinches at one time. Since they were flying so fast, I was unable to get a good photo with my camera phone.

Inspired by Neil Barker to practice the craft of writing poetry

Neil Barker’s Meditations on Nature here on Substack prompted me to think about my own inner thoughts while enjoying the outdoors - mountains, water, forests and more. So for the last few months, I have been scribbling simple haikus. I remember “learning” the mechanics of haiku in high school and college - probably in my creative writing classes. Here goes Neil!

A quiet refuge: the sounds of solitude

Paddle dips gently,
ripples spread in quiet rings,
silence drifts with me.

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Soft wind guides the bow,
carrying me farther out,
worldly noise dissolves.

---

Goldfinches scatter,
their songs flicker through the trees,
light made into sound.

The goldfinches seemed to be attracted by all the Spotted Knapweed

---

Lilypads drifting,
a green mosaic afloat,
art laid on water.

The lilypads reminded me of a French impressionist scene.

---

An introvert’s breath,
drawn deep in the lake’s still heart,
solitude made kind.

My introvert self craves being alone on the water.

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Here I am at rest,
the quiet welcomes me home,
the lake holds me whole.

I love paddling among the weeds.

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Paddling ashore now,
I carry the quiet home,
a stillness within.

Thank you for coming along with me today on my paddle.

I hope these reflections bring you a touch of calm and stillness as you move through today.

If you enjoyed this post, you may like other posts in my Perspectives from a Canoe series. Here are two of them:

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