Stories Told In Silence

I like the quiet Found in the woods As the trees silently mutter Of their aches and pains I feel sympathy In my own old limbs The path is best When the sun bends Through ferns and fir To follow me Sometimes a crow comes Briefly to chat So much though That I can hardly wait to enjoy them leaving For the forest whispers softly And loud talking distracts I like to listen To hear my breath Take on the gentle rhythm Of my footsteps Let my eyes become knowing See the mushrooms Growing proudly I prefer the chatter Of leaves falling In a flutter As the breeze unbuckles them Or to sit on one of the fallen Stroke the bark Feel old words like leather Stored in hidden rings Telling stories Of living and dying Found in the woodland silence 7-27-2020 A poem inspired by the poetry of Mary Oliver