a.

terror of bare limbs

against dark sky

half-moon alive, aloft

b.

follow deer trail

redwing, cattail

moss-log, marsh edge

c. this is marsh

circumambulation

rot and growth aligned

d.

to rule over your creatures?

do not drain these wetlands

let them flourish as they will

e.

here among the oak leaves

small scoop of skull-bone

stream bed dry for now

franklin savanna is the remains of the kind of oak savanna that used to cover much of southern wisconsin (including the area where i grew up). a diverse site with mesic forest, ryan creek, savanna remnant, forested and open wetlands, and agricultural fields, there’s lots to explore, lots of edges. a sunrise hike today was just the ticket.

thanks to mke county parks and the friends of franklin’s parks for preserving the site. also, it appears that plans to rehabilitate the site have stalled. i wonder if we can get them going again…