Silent elfin streams drift through and between

small hills covered in dead coastal redwood leaves,

soft and plush, my toes slide between little needles and

soil made of decomposed forest.

And I realize that only here where I stand surrounded by

ambling deer and silver foxes quiet and unseen,

amidst towering pillars of vibrant red and shaded green,

are my fears turned to nothing.

For in this muted secret place, I find a distinctly

familiar face. The calming limbs above

furnish life on the covered ground below;

fauna and flora sway together in a raw rhythm.

Each visit is a time of remembrance–

early morning run to contemplate the far away ocean,

eager children running, laughter romping on the branches…

everywhere I look is home.