Dew Drop Reflections

Dust dotted slants of light peak through
grove upon grove of cedar, ash and fir
walking sticks dig into earth
like longhorn sheep hooves,
hikers perform a heel depth or hoof axis
balancing act with neither knapsack
hanging from shoulders lean and bare
nor maps detailing a final destination,
rambling trekkers randomly apply
a bronze third leg to scale up slopes
step across swollen streams, impale
tassel ferns with tire tread hiking boots
observe nature’s fragile menagerie:
treefrogs, racoons, white tail deer,
muskrats, opossums, bobcats and skunks
pushing past scrub maple branches
now leafless spines forever reaching
towards March warmth and budding anew.