Sequoia Sempervirens Poem by James Ronan

In cool dark valleys soar groves of wood,
That cast silhouettes on delicate ferns,
Colossal logs lie where trees once stood,
Making no sounds of worldly concerns.

Dank fog creeps amid gigantic groves,
Where eons before saplings grew,
Bringing moisture in from misty coves,
Providing roots droplets of dew.

Giant evergreens rebuffs troubling air,
Providing shelter among hemlocks and fir.
On fern-covered walls that rhododendrons share,
Gentle zephyrs urge yarrow to stir.

Lupines and daisies impart chests of jewels,
Where alders adorn a rock-strewn stream,
And water lilies cluster in diminutive pools,
Broadcast vivid colors on nature's theme.

On hollowed-out stumps where salamanders reside,
Snails and slugs await seclusion of dark,
Lichen nurture on guiding star's side,
As backlit branches brighten moss-laden bark.

Well-worn rocks strung along a languid stream,
Provides frys' training with a place to thrive.
Salmon flourishes as one of nature's supreme,
When autumn rains trigger their journey to survive.

Sounds of nature embark on sun's retreat,
As voices join in diminutive chorus.
No ear has attended an opus so sweet,
As fauna performing the music of forests.