Peace I ask of thee, oh river
Peace, peace, peace
When I learn to live serenely
Cares will cease

From the hills I gather courage
Visions of the days to be
Strength to lead and faith to follow
All are given unto me. (Traditional)

Those aren’t the words I grew up with.
Men learn to live together, wars cease?
This may be harder, me living serenity.
Bettsy sits here, watching eagles in Iowa.
My idea of back-to-nature is a blacktop trail
around a park. But snapdragons
at  the country club, clouds piled above a road,
gentle rain and blustering wind, the river and hills
nudge in. I lie in bed, seek God’s healing peace
to swirl around and feel the power. And it comes.
Thank God, nature finds me.