f o {r} e s t

bare wintered feet traverse a cold trail, catching sharp edges in toes—reminding coddled nerves of ancestral energies that walk these paths of stone

wind claps through the leaves, branches crack and sing, giving voice to sentient trees—stories hummed in a timeless tongue, notes of a wild symphony

beams trickle through needle and branch, webbing sacred patterns in an ancient glow—a palate of color painted in sun and shade unveil a masterful atavistic show

steaming bark and humus, mushroom, and moss, swirl through a rising mist—age-old perfumes riding the breeze awaken a primordial sense

damp forest exhales ethereal infusions, releasing the nucleus of time—earthen flavors roll over tooth and tongue, savoring the essence of immortal light