Rays of sunlight shine through the thick canopy overhead,
dancing and sparkling on the forest floor.
A lone hiker is silhouetted in the radiant autumn leaves
as he makes his way through the woods.
I swoop lazily down from my perch in the trees to watch his passing.
Flying slyly behind,
I watch the climber leap over gurgling streams
and scale challenging rocks.
Lost in my own peaceful world,
it surprises me when I hear his gasp.
The forest has opened up before us,
and we are looking at a vivid tapestry,
splattered with brilliant reds and oranges, and stroked with bright yellows.
He stands at the edge of the rocky mountain side,
hands on hips,
gazing intently over the vast canvas,
at the many rives that run like snakes through the wilderness.
Crisp air ruffles the hiker’s hair.
And even though I have observed this place countless times,
my thoughts are where his are when the man softly murmurs,
“Wow.”