Two voles hop rock to rock across the creek,
one falls in meanders oxbow rapids.
The rains come.
From red and brown soils yarrow sprouts, spring
rushes mark the water table,
meadow racket, woodpecker morning drill
downstream, dogwoods bloom,
bracken fern and false Solomon’s seal
decorate red fir and ponderosa footholds.
Bark beetles march over popcorn yellow fungi
rise scale Jeffrey pine plates.
Skin deep they bore a heartwood adit, and sap
spills smelling sweet as cream soda.
Browning needles, pine’s proud crown
its throne its rotting seat
takes in the kingdom,
breathes its fading season.
Below, a hard hat trio
dot the forest floor, men treeside rodents
crunch duff, one plucks the pine’s twig,
thumbs its fascicles to five,
motions to another who slaps sock, chalk-filled blue
against the trunk.
the last one carves a half-shaped boat
into the heartwood. Final slice and down
down it thuds rippling radius hard hats float
skyward.
They tie ropes to the carcass and haul it away.
A storm comes.
Lightning veins drip.
Wind wings flames,
chars black oak, whose roots wait
underground to sprout new growth
