Nature's Voices Poem by Kathleen Reguindin

At forest's edge, I stand
The trail head marks what could become
An adventure into the unknown.

I begin my walk into the woods
The scent of cedar envelops me
A fragrance to me so delightful!

Everything is so quiet.
Nothing moves, just the gentle rustle
Of leaves being caressed by the morning breeze.

For several moments, I pause
And listen to the deafening silence.
Around me everything is calm.

I continue on, at one with nature.
A few meters ahead, I see a glade
Crowned by sunlight, a beautiful sight.

And without warning, the forest suddenly becomes alive!
A family of squirrels rush across the forest floor
Seemingly agitated, looking for nuts they must store.

Birds flit from tree to tree, singing
A symphony of music they make …
Trills, caws, twitters, squawks!

From high above, geese fly
Their noisy honking cuts through the sky
Their long-distance flight from the south at an end.

The loud creak of a fallen tree, its trunk rubbing against another
The crackle of dead leaves underneath my boots.
A grass snake winds its way from rock to rock.

The wind begins to blow harder
Everywhere around me the trees sway and dance
Green leaves flutter against the sky!

The sunlight pierces through the forest canopy
Her finger-like rays from the sky
Touch the forest grounds.

A babbling brook flows through these woods
Occasionally, a frog lets out a croak
Watching life go by as it sits on a log.

My walk has led me to the trail's end
Refreshed, invigorated, I breathed in the fresh air
It's time to head back home, a promise whispered, I will be back.