Ephemeral

On this day -

Particles of sunlight 

    cast tree shadows 

    on the dried bed 

    of the ephemeral pond.

Graceful maidenhair ferns 

    danced with the wind.

Life sustaining spring 

    sprung from under the ground.

Two streamlined brook trout

    retreated upstream.

Desiccated fungus fruit

    sprouted from dead hosts and supporting soils.

Glacier polished algae covered quartz stone

    called out for a kiss.

Slow moving stinkbug like critter

    crawled out from beneath and warmed.

Dead wooden branches and trunks 

    bowed and creaked vibrations seldom heard.

Oxygen containing air

    oxidized red hemoglobin to brown remnant.

Golden Crowned Kinglets

    flitted between low lying stems and stumps.

Abandoned hunter tree stands

    clung to oaks and maples.

Entwined earth-filled roots 

    lay overturned and exposed.  

Distant black crow

    expressed caws from above.

Ancient sentinels 

    snapped and succumbed.

White tailed deer

    leapt and bound away.

Vivid dreams 

    twisted fears into snarling old friend.

Rock older than time  

    marked paths to the entrance 

    of forgotten unknown.

Bewildered gray haired pale skinned human 

    climbed in.

All 

    combined

    revealed

    unfolded

    touched

    drank

    scratched

    enveloped 

    interacted 

    bent

    prostrated

    broke

    embraced

    breathed

    flowed

    digested

    and disappeared 

    into the 

    decaying leaf filled 

    lichen lined

    dark abyss.

- not necessarily in that order.