“There is a way that nature speaks, that the land speaks.

Most of the time we are simply not patient enough,

Or quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.”

Linda Hogan

About an hour before dawn

As continued sleep evades

I silently slip out of the house

In deep snowdrifts I now wade

Soon I’m in the deep forest

So very silent and so serene

The only sound - my boots

Upon the fresh snow so clean

I soon sit upon a fallen birch tree

And the forest soothes my very soul

I love its very early morning tranquility

For me this ancient realm never grows old

Suddenly a very melodious call

A male cardinal sings out to his mate

And she soon lovingly responds in kind

For this new dawn together they’ll now wait

Then I hear an extremely lonely call

From high upon a windy snowy ridge

But very soon a very joyous answer

From underneath the old river bridge

This mating pair of coyotes

Soon meet up on the frigid hill

Rejoicing together again at dawn

Their reunion giving both a thrill

As I turn and head back home

They now trot off to their den

Safe together for one more day

As a brand new winter day begins

And when I finally reach my destination

My spouse lovingly calls down the hall

And I immediately respond to her in kind

In our very own winter’s day mating call

There is a way that nature speaks, that the land speaks,

That the creatures of the forest speak.

Most of the time we are simply not patient enough,

Or quiet enough, or observant enough,

To pay attention to earth’s very ancient

And very wondrous love story.

©2005, Ed Kostro