Twilight's Interval of Rest

Ode to the Deep Forest

Photo by: Olan L. Smith, Northern edge of the Mark Twain Nation Forest, Missouri.

Ode to the Deep Forest

©2017, Olan L. Smith

Fear not the dark night in the damp forest,

Of undefined woodlands. It is here

Where solitude resides, where man and beast

Meet as one. Among souls who claims power,

Where dirt is earth, and fangs clash for food.

Choose your path well for the forest is alive

She outranks you in all her beauty, she's home

For many forms, you are one of the whole

This day-of-days, and Gaia crowns you guest upon

Wings of poesy, there your hope abides.

Fear not the dark of day within the forest

Climb any tree and build a nest like a bird

And spread your wings, realize that you are

Not greater than eagles, whose towering nest

Top even your ability to climb. See the

Glory of wooded lands, not felled for your

Square boxes you call houses. What beauty

Do you see in flat trees of two-by-fours?

The God of tree will knight a mortal beast

In tall and virgin trees, there your hope abides.

Fear not the dark night where tall trees bow to

The heavens and we see how you bend.

Watch, see how the wind prunes the branches,

See the wind, the keeper of timberland,

She sends the seeds and spores to all places,

The Ghost of the wind refurbishes the deep woods,

To grow mighty forest, she fights for her boundaries

For she is ancient and mighty, she bows not

To humankind, and Gaia celebrates life

In darken shadows, there her hope abides.

Fear not the dark smoke of tall trees burning,

For in the ashes life prevails pushing up

Toward the sun's rays, ready for a home,

For in death the forest overcomes, we will

Also. What terminates Her, but the earth

Who will one day say, enough is enough,

And all will cease, but until such time this

World is full of glory, and living things;

If love and hope does fill the forestland,

Then in darkened places, hope abides.