The Lake's Flora, Fauna

Its surface rippled by incessant wind
the small lake at the foot of the mountain
is surrounded by a forest of towering
hemlock, spruce and yellow birch. The
rich leaf mass of the forest floor
surrounding the lake under scudding
dark clouds reveals rhododendrons
azaleas, raspberry and blueberry bushes
an understory of dogwood and moose
maple circling the lake's perimeter. 
Dragonflies and Damselflies flit from
the water's unruly surface to boulders
nearby, escapees from the mountain's
granite slopes. Tiny white stars of
bunchberry blossoms interrupt the
prevailing green of the forest, even as
the soft pink blush of Ladies Slippers
punctuate the verdant glow of the
forest beyond where Yellow Admirals
float on gusts of wind, swooping and
swiveling in their element while  high
above the forest canopy hawks soar.