Poetry: Dwayne Rankin.

The Lion's Roar  by Dwayne Rankin Deafening was the Lions roar. In strength and pride he stands. Terror was the way he rules. As King through out the lands. For miles around he could be heard, Letting known his wrath. Roaring out his challenge, To all who crossed his path. Majestic was his stature. And fear he did instill. Waiting for the time to come When he'd make his kill. Lying hidden on the grassy plains. Silently he stalks his prey. Patiently waiting for his chance To claim his feast this day. Sated now he sleeps the day, Lying in the shade of trees. Waiting for the night to come, To then do as he please. Once again he makes his way, In his throat a growl. Letting all around the Plain Know he's on the prowl. All creatures know that fearsome sound, Knows death is at the door. They know the King is getting close, When they hear the Lions Roar! The Wolf Pack's On The Prowl.   In the darkened forest deep, In silence now they run. Like shadowed ghosts through forest, sweep. Their hunting's now begun. Gray shapes seen there moving fast, With yellow eyes aglow. T'ward that scent they've caught at last, Through all those woods they flow. On they run all through the night, With stamina they go. Hunger gnaws their bellies tight, But never do they slow. Saliva drips from hanging tongues, As they pick up speed. Gasping forth from burning lungs, But still in strength proceed. Then in their sight their prey is found, A bit more speed they find. With slashing fangs their prey is down, To death it's now resigned. With bellies full they howl aloud, At that full moon there. Sitting beneath the moon light's shroud, Their mournful howls share. Soon they are off to hunt again, In joy they go out. Hunting through dark wooded glen, Their strength and speed they tout. In the village there is no doubt, They hear that mournful howl. They all know now whose about, The wolf pack's on the prowl.

 

Touch the Sky.

Reach on up and touch the sky
And feel the warm sun passing by.
Grasping firm the joys of life,
Your spirit then will soar oh high.

Bask within those radiant rays,
All throughout those warm spring days.
Let your eyes then linger long;
Upon those dewy flowers gaze.

Breathe in deep the fresh clean air
And see what God has made so fair.
Looking then from high you’ll see
Beauty found beyond compare.

Listen to the soft winds sigh
And hear the bird’s soft cooing cry.
Reach on up your hands so high;
Reach on up and touch the sky.

The Hidden Vale

I took a walk alone one day
Upon a mountain trail.
On past the creek, across the woods,
Into a hidden vale.

A place where all the winds blew soft
Heard whisp’ring through the trees.
A place where all the song birds sang
Their songs of joy and peace.

Fragrant was the air I breathed
From all the flowers, fair.
With petals soft and delicate,
In colors rich and rare.

I walked upon the soft green grass,
‘Midst streams found pure and cold
I found contentment there for me
With worries put on hold.

I ate the fruit from off the trees
And washed then in a stream.
I wondered far into the night,
As if within a dream.

I spent the night beneath the stars
Upon a bed of grass.
And in the morn I drank my fill
From pools clear as glass.

In sorrow then I knew t’was time
I left that hidden vale.
I took that lonely walk back home
Upon that mountain trail.

Back to my house where I then lived
Within a mundane place.
But then at night I’d dream of this;
That vale filled with grace.

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Dwayne Rankin was born in Yakima, Washington USA on September 9,1954 and grew up in Cashmere, Washington, the center of the Wenatchee River Valley. 

Surrounded by  the North Cascade Mountain Range with its many scenic  creeks, rivers and high mountain lakes, he grew up loving the outdoors spending much time hiking and walking through the forests of pines and cedars that grew all around there.

Married now with 2 teenage children, a boy of 17 and a daughter of 14, he is kept busy working to provide for their physical as well as their spiritual needs bringing them up in a Christian home.

He started writing poetry in high school for some assignments for class but never pursued it much until about 7 years ago when a friend of his turned 50 years old.. And in penning the poem "Turning Fifty", he rediscovered his enjoyment of writing and has been busy since that time.

He joined the Voicesnet.com web site poetry family in  2010 and has been writing steadily since that time..

He has one book published: "Walking" which is available via the internet at such places a Amazon.com and many other internet book stores. It is also available at the place where it was published, Publish American vai the internet as well there.

He is currently working on collecting enough poems for a second book of seasonal poem of nature. He does this in between the time he is working in the fruit industry  at Blue Star Growers, a fruit packing house that packs pears and apples of various kinds.