The Forest Realm

Perhaps he was standing in a sacred place?
The bleached white bones of a ponderosa pine lay scattered before him.
Do the elephants visit you and paw with their massive feet
and turn you over to see who you were?

Was it by axe or saw that you fell?
Did a storm bring you crashing down?
Maybe you grew so tall your roots could no longer bear your weight?

The forest was quiet this morning.
A cold fog made its way along the forest floor.
The thick carpet of needles beneath his feet muffled his foot steps.
He was hunting alone as he often preferred.
The solitude suited him well and perhaps down deep
he really didn’t want to shoot anything,

He was immersed in the moment.
The forest perfume filled his nose with wonder
and the autumn colors soothed his eyes.
The smell of the underbrush and wet bark was pungent.
The smell was so raw and primordial
it hinted at arousal as if the earth was in rut.

He heard the chipmunk warning the forest of his presence
and as if it were an alarm clock he heard the stirrings of other creatures.
A magpie brushed the air above his head and banked
and wove its way through the trees ahead.

As a hunter could he really end the joy of another creature this day?
He joined the others as they welcomed the warming sun as it shot rays of light into the dark recesses.
The bark of the ponderosa shown red like a kingly garment
and the yellow of the tamarack was the banner declaring the majesty of the realm.
Was he a prince or a pauper in this marvelous kingdom?

The rifle was becoming heavier and there was no squire to carry his weapon.
Once again it was proving his lack of enthusiasm to actually kill something.
He felt his entire being wanting to dissolve into this quiet place.
He just wanted to be one with the citizens of this land.

He felt more at home here than in the city.
The forest knew him and he knew the forest.
The concrete makes everyone a stranger.
Here he was recognized and respected.
The city respected no one.

The morning warm up was over,
the orchestra of the kingdom began to play its song.
The melody made its way up to the tops of the trees and moved every branch.
Every limb vibrated to the tone.
Every trunk swayed to the rhythm .

He could feel himself changing , breathing and exhaling joy.
He would not kill this day and maybe never again.
Merlin’s wand had finally pierced his heart
and the magic redeemed him.

reply to post by grayeagle


I really enjoyed that. You took me to a lovely forest, friend.

Thank you for sharing this, it was a delight to read.

Peace and love
-nat the cat-

reply to post by natalia


Thanks Natalia. I appreciate you taking the time to read it and to comment. I value feedback.

Thanks for visiting my forest.

WOW, Awesome.

reply to post by Night Star

Thanks Night Star. Your response means so much to me. May the peace you dream of surround you with warm memories and joyful expectations.

That was great. Thank you!
There is something about the true untouched peace that hides from us in those trees. Something that we can only find there away from the rat race that we call society. Thanks again!

reply to post by grayeagle

I have enjoyed reading your word/picture of the woods. I felt like I was almost there in those woods and seeing/feeling what you were mentioning. I used to hunt for food when hubby was ill and waiting for 100% service connected disability to come through...money was scarce and hunting/fishing was a very great need for us. Some of the best times in my life, I spent in the woods amongst the woods creatures and flora and fauna. It is hard to take the life of another living creature, even when needed for sustainance. My trusty rifle by my side, I often felt so connected with the woods...I'd sometimes look down at my feet and swear I saw moccasins on my feet and had memories of another life as a Native American.

There are sights and sounds and smells in the woods, fragrant wild flowers, beautiful colors of the leaves, the trickling of a clear creek. Watching an eagle swooping above. Watching the butterflies and hummingbirds. All so enchanting.

Mitakuye Oyasin-"All my relations". (We are all related). Thanx again for writing a wonderful post.

reply to post by shrevegal


Thank you for reading and commenting. I know exactly what you are saying. I remember picking Glacier Lillies and Trilliums for my mom's dinner table. She was always grateful and the fragrance they added to the house was wonderful. I don't want to sound cliche but the forest is my real home.