Transiting

The late afternoon spring sun
slants its rays through the
leaf-bare canopy of the surrounding
forest glancing sparks of icy fire
off snow still packed in its
winter layers on the frozen 
forest floor. The dark green
of spruce and pine needles
glow with a fiery light tinged
with red, the tint proudly borne
by the stalks of red osier dogwood
contrasted with newly revealed
bracken in areas where snow
in melting reveals the damp dark
soil enriched by centuries of
leafmould compost. Bugs are
beginning to hatch, flying free
from underlays of tree bark.
A primeval cry tears the air
as a red-capped Pileated woodpecker
attends to the serious business of
clattering its beak relentlessly
against a groaning old giant 
pine; larvae do well to beware.