DELPHIC
“The forest is my loyal friend A Delphic shrine to me.” Emerson
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Slash, Loblolly, and Jelecote~curious names
for the majestic pine and eucalypt,
sweeping over the valley and up, over
the forest-covered mountains as far as my eyes can see.
Peering skyward, my hand cupped over my brow,
the treetops are indiscernible as they
evanesce in the heavenly glow.
Sunlight infiltrates the dense foliage of the conifers,
creating abstract images on the forest floor,
whilst it indulges in rotting cones and leaves.
Standing still, I perceive the distant hum of bees
interrupting the silence of this natural cathedral.
I meander through the aisles of the green chapel
gazing in wonder at nature’s harmony in every nook;
the only unusual sound is the crackle of cones underfoot.
I hike through the forest’s undergrowth.
In the distance, the roar of water can be heard
and the closer call of the oriole bird.
My eyes light upon a wonderous phenomenon,
a veil of white water crashing into a lagoon;
in its wake, a halo of icy mist fills the air,
saturating rocks and plants everywhere!
Water-filled fissures sprout glistening emerald ferns;
concealed within their violet shadows,
is a moist undergrowth, cool and unseen.
In a little hollow of the forest’s terrain
is the habitat of different species~
of reptiles and amphibians.
Lemon yellow rays filter through the forest’s leaves;
a kaleidoscope of patterns dances on the streams.
Deep within the forest’s grandeur,
I discover an obscured, old woman cherry tree~
nature’s chronicler and prophet of my seasons and years yet to be.
From the canopy of a towering tree,
a flock of birds takes flight.
A little further on,
I spot a moss-covered rock to rest upon,
to catch my breath, to sit with my loyal friend and contemplate,
to breathe in the beauty of this sacred place,
a little piece of heaven~a Delphic shrine to me.
Copyright ©
Sara Etgen-Baker
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