Penned Woods

in a hardwood stand on soft wood log seat
look up skyward into brilliant cobalt blue,
mustard, canary, lemon and amber
scarlet, blood vermilion and cherry there too
sand, rust, tan, cocoa and earthen are seen
teal, lime, emerald, olive and evergreen
all these on the canvas with more I can't name
leaf colors explode, no two hues the same

columns of sunlight among tree trunk shadows
fall on chaotically shaped statues of granite
layered sandstone emerging from cracks on the hillside
yields burgundy piles of broken clay pieces
rocks and trees host mosses and funguses
along with ground mushrooms there's teaberries too
bushes bear nuts and berries abundant
take care, thorns thistles stickers are bush born too

in the hollow down the hill a brook babbling on there
makes pools of still water at slow winding turns
the stream flows and continues meander, meander,
bringing water and quenching natures true thirst

here chipmunks, squirrels field mice and numerous rabbits
are resident rodents of this forest floor
where they scurry and dart about doing their business
of drinking and eating and playing with pals
yet watchful and aware to avoid predators et al