Hoh River Rainforest

Rainforest is beautiful, and more so when the rain stops.  Thick moss covers the ground in a blanket of green.  It climbs over boulders, and the rounded shapes of fallen trees.  Seedlings sprout from mossy rotted logs, and saplings vie for a place in the scarce sun where a tree fell and took several smaller ones with it.  I smell the rich dank luxuriant growth and decay. 

Monster trees have ruled here for centuries and I’m the young Alice in this wonderland.  Tourists have mostly gone away now at the onset of wet winter.  I hike mostly alone.  Redwood-sized spruce trees along the river.  

They began as playmates

with childish games

now in midlife

they entwine

in other games

deep desires

in a dark forest   

beach umbrellas

on a rotting log

what do they hide

and why on a cloudy day     

take my hand, come into my lair

let us talk of many things

the forest wraps itself in secrets  

we’re a close-knit group

everything together

siblings if you will

you come too  

Planted by a river of water

he bore fruit in his season

his leaf did not wither

when he finally fell

children perched on his stump

and built upon his ways.   

let us stand in a circle

no matter what the others say

our backs are what they see.  

You can walk the trail that me led to this place using a map prepared by Michael Angerman, showing all of my nightly sleeping places. Please click here:  Michael's Map