Porches Poem by Chuck Toll

When out of sorts with life or self,
A porch is hard to beat
As long as you’ve a comfy chair
And space to stretch your feet.

Lean back and watch the world go by,
Forego life’s stress and chatter.
What’s not been done remains undone.
But, really, did it matter?

Unlike the confines of a house
That holds the world at bay,
A porch connects to life itself
At any time of day.

A porch’s vantage point and height,
The time of day or year,
Is less important than the chance
It gives to see and hear.

A portal to life beyond yourself
Is what a porch provides.
It helps regain perspective i
And quite a bit besides.

Empty your mind as you’d turn out
Your pocket change at night.
Just watch and listen silently,
In small things take delight:

Morning dew and waking sounds
Then sunlight through the leaves,
Small children passing on their bikes,
And smells borne by the breeze,

Birds in search of food or mates,
Your neighbors mowing lawns
The setting sun and rising moon,
At twilight deer with fawns.

A porch restores one’s sense of place,
Shows how all fits together,
Revealing ties that ease the heart
In any kind of weather.