the heart of the forest 

darkness clothing bark 

shadows hugging contours  

of tallest trees    

 

spruce and pine bark

boughs drifting down  

sweeping needles  

almost touching the ground 

  

cool mud near banks  

of shallow creek 

tumbled rocks  

flashing minnows  

dancing beneath the surface  

 

ripples in the grass 

the wind is throwing stones 

into the shifting blades  

the ground is learning to fly 

in bits and pieces  

 

fingers in fur  

tangling strands  

coaxing out the snarls and burs 

smooth and silky now  

 

dancing in the rain 

murky water splashing everywhere  

streaking faces  

slipping 

sliding down the hill 

footprints left behind  

melting away with the sprinkling of drops  

 

table in the kitchen 

full of sparkles  

and green play-doh 

leftovers from years gone by 

 

pouring tea  

from the special pot  

with the chip on the edge  

 an example of past grace

not spilling a drop now

so proud and grownup 

 

father's hair  

once silver shot  

white and grey  

all the caring  

bleaching the colour away. 

 

pictures in sepia tones 

strangers that came before 

stories lurking in their eyes  

shaded by time 

forgotten 

 

the heart of the forest  

spruce and pine bark

cool mud near banks    

ripples in the grass 

fingers in fur  

dancing in the rain 

table in the kitchen  

pouring tea 

father's hair 

pictures in sepia tones  

 

heart of the forest.