a.

a dawning sun

over ash and maple

leaf mosaic

b.

rock peppers the whelm

of soils’ graceful tumult

wind in the naked boughs

c.

a triumph of woven glacier sculpting

undulation of stone, stock, and stipe—

the ridge and ravine don’t care that I’m here

d.

the tongue stumbles on strange grasses

and brain falters with dumb bark

first glimpse of beech makes me known

e.

birch stand

over water

lean into silence

cedarburg beech woods is a mesic forest of predominantly sugar maple, beech, and white ash. the southern section has glacial rolling topography and the northern lowlands are flatter with some boggy or marshy (i couldn’t tell which) areas. tremendous dawn hike.

thanks to the uw-field station staff for maintaining this site and for granting me permission to walk the lands!