The Urban Woods

They exist, those rare and wonderful urban
wild spots; deep wooded ravines, home to birds,
mammals, winged insects, wildflowers, creeks
and reptiles, living among the forest trees;
great pines and maples, spruce, fir and ash.
For nearby residents, a green growing oasis,
a respite from the roofs and roads of harried
urban life, our mean little plots and smaller
nature-emulating, envious, inadequate gardens.

Into the ravine dip nature seeking residents
of networks of nearby streets, laid out around
the perimeter of the woods and winding ravine,
to amble and breathe cleansed air, to hear the
birdsong, see the flowers in their changing seasons,
the aspect of the creek and its banks, the trees
and the trails brushed with autumn's fallen
leaves, dense layers of snow, spring awakening
and summer's bated-breath release to ease.

Then summer upon us, school is closed and
children ride their bicycles on the trails, dabble
below in the clay bed and banks of the creek and
its tributaries, tie ropes on long, overhanging
limbs of old trees and swing from the groaning
branches. Tender new growth on shrubs and
trees torn and broken, lying sadly askew.

Tree trunks bear the marks of saws almost
severing the living presence. Muskrat and
beaver are harassed, squirrels targeted.
Paintball smudges on trees, wet balls littering
trails. Rude graffiti sprayed upon wooden bridges,
curses carved on grey beech bark. Fires lit on
benches, bridges and within hollow old pines.

Our valued, beloved, living urban forest.
Nature, meeting the unbridled exuberance and
unfettered disrespect of youth unbound. This
natural green and growing place of constant
renewal and discovery, sacred to many, an
disposable, casual venue of opportunity for
resentful kids to vent their detached contempt
and destroy the ineffable beauty around us.