Journal 5: POETRY IT UP

It is 12:30 pm, mostly overcast with some clear sky and 58 degrees fahrenheit outside at my observation spot today. The air feels thick and humid, indicating possible upcoming rain. It is very still with not really any detectable wind. In a sword fern near me, there is a bird flitting around and chirping. It is small and very well camouflaged with dark brown and black. I only caught one quick glimpse of it, but it was mostly on the ground, and kept emitting a short chirp on the same note- a note of medium pitch, somewhat high compared to other birds, and little throaty. It sounded like a "mip". I saw several squirrels foraging on my way to my observation spot. I saw one carrying some sort of cone in its mouth, but I couldn't tell from what tree. A large bumblebee was pollinating some hanging pink bell shaped flowers as I walked to my sport as well. There are a lot more dead brown leaves on the forest floor at my observation spot today. The forest is even more alive with bird calls than the last time I was here. There have been a lot more bird calls back and forth between birds today. I determined the birds I saw to be crows rather than ravens due to their smaller size, tolerance of humans and other animals in the forest, more "caw" sounding call, and tendency to travel in paris. I saw many pairs of crows this week: one pair was foraging together, and the other was sitting on a tree branch together. They were cute couples to say the least. I also saw two squirrels chasing each other up a tree trunk: were they about to mate or fighting? After the rain from this past week, the nearby stream is bubbling loudly. There are so many more Lady Ferns and Horsetails growing than past weeks. The forest feels very awake and feels like it is growing from the plants and the animals; you can tell it is spring.

Note the domination of Horsetails and Lady Ferns

Poem 1:
Bird song fills the air
An orchestra
Trills, chirps, calls, song
Bass, winds, brass, percussion

There is an underlying rhythm
a meaning behind the bouncing melodies

What could have composed this
this sublime aural dance
other than nature herself?

Poem 2:
the quiet presence of plants
met with the echoing azure sky
an airplane passes in the distance
the stream makes its way through

Poem 3: (Western Hemlock)
What is this creature I've found?
Its bowed reach, halved into green,
halved again
stretching outward
beckoning, asking, offering
brushing the ground, reaching high
even the tip reaching in search

at first I thought you wanted something from me,
but now I can see your reach-
a gentle gesture
offering guidance in a language I have never learned
I can understand nonetheless

Poem 4: (Fly)
Hello, small black being
Are you looking at me?
Are those large red spheres, perhaps, your eyes?

Two clear sheened capes, black veins running throughout
Translucent leaves on your back
Are these just for show?

Six bent extensions, you float from leaf to leaf
Rubbing these extensions together, preparing for some unseen feast
Or perhaps your joints are cold

I am sure you are smart enough to understand the science of friction
giving warmth to your little hands
although you are no larger than my pinkie finger

Ah! I look back to see you once more,
but alas,
your fairy-like coupled capes have carried you
away from me