Weary woods

Tall oaks on either side of me

Captured the falling snow

But as each step took me farther

The wind started to blow

“faster now” it whispered to me

“the night is coming soon

and this is not a place for you

when you can see the moon”.

A shudder went down through my spine

“The woods are dark and deep”

but the wind only laughed at me

“you will never find sleep”.

but all the birds seemed to die

Except one owl who cried

“shoo this is not a place for you”

But he was my only guide,

I followed him through the tall oaks

Into a pine tree grove

Where he dived down to catch a vole

He no longer did rove.

But my lost walking continued

With no one’s watchful eye

Even the wind said it’s goodnights

Only soft snow in the sky.

Down the trail I searched far and wide

Turned around in my mind

But it was the trail I could not find

My mind’s eye became blind

“was that a moose over yonder?”

the question shook my soul

for after chasing the great stag

I learned that I had no control.

Running with the snow pelting down

Jack frost stabbing my back

But the flame inside me seemed to last

When the path went to attack;

Thorns were stuck in my ice cold skin

And mud was everywhere

Twigs latched on to any place they could

My body did not fair.

“Why?” I asked the bright silver moon

“I can see your big wise smile

 laughing at how I always struggle

through the demanding mile”

But the moon only shook her head

“you silly simple soul

the forest of oaks is not your abode

here we will take you whole”.

the path was gone and so was hope

the ground looked softer now

slowly sinking to the hard ground

the oak lent me his bough.

with my eyes closed I said “goodnight”

but no one heard me speak

the comfort of the woods enclosed me

into a great silique.

the fire died inside my mind

but I was soon reborn

into an oak who told lost souls

“this is not the place for you”

and now I am the one to warn.