The Erratics

The stream of ice-clear water slips
and dances and ripples over the
mountain stream bed, rushing over
and around the rough-hewn boulder 
erratics that tumbled from the granite
mountain sides in a primeval re-set
of the mountain geology. Mist rises
to suffuse the steamy atmosphere 
on a sun-drenched summer day.
Lacy lichens cling to ancient hemlock
and yellow birch. A luxury of mosses
like miniature forests colonize the
trail, fallen tree trunkss and rocks. 
Mountain sorrel, partridgeberry and 
ground dogwood stipple the edge of the
forest. Delicate pale gold straw lilies 
and lilies-of-the-valley bloom in
synchrony. Now and again the
gracious stalk of a pale pink orchid
punctuates the forest understory of 
dogwood shrubs and Moose maple.