digging my feet in the moist mountain dirt

while climbing from the river

up to the grove hand over hand on a rope

approaching three large mushrooms

an ants view looking up their skirt

like alice in wonderland

or some fairytale told to children

but it does exist…

a real live fern gully

of magical nature escapes

all found in a different reality

in the temperate rain forest

in the great smokies

of beautiful and enchanting

western north caroline

feminine and free

with easy careless days

and peaceful nights fireside

where everything seems to bloom

quickly, vibrant and withers

a dancing and constantly evolving landscape

where large cranes still perch

and at dusk play the fireflies