PhotoTaken in Stebbins Wildlife Preserve in Longmeadow, MA. The mushrooms on the tree inspired the following poem.
Forest Night
Forest floor littered with debris
of fallen trees, animal scat,
ankle deep leaves.
Nature’s recycling plan.
Clusters
of Artist’s Fungus,
Chicken Mushrooms
in ample supply on dead trees.
Courage is required
to linger past sunset
as long shadows cast by setting sun
make everything frightfully surreal.
Leaves rustle.
What was that?
A herd of deer beds down
for a night of watchful sleep.
Foxes, raccoons, coyotes, skunks
ghost their way
from path to riverbank
become lost in shadow.
Faeries, nature sprites, pixies
tiptoe from beneath the Shadblow
at river’s edge to play in eerie glow
from stars and Foxfire.
Rhiannon, Queen of Faeries, invokes
luminescence upon mushroom sconces
arranged on a nearby tree.
British Soldiers and Dog Lichen stand guard.
Dawn’s first blush
signals revelry’s end.
Forest secrets kept safe in dreams
until next dark of night.
© Beverly R. Titus 11/04/06
