pheasant branch conservancy comprises a series of habitats surrounding pheasant branch creek. the creek finds one of its headwaters in bubbling springs at the base of frederick’s hill. the wooded and prairie uplands give way to pheasant branch marsh before the creek empties into lake mendota, one of the four lakes in the area around madison, known to the ho-chunk as ‘dejope’ (‘four lakes’). atop frederick hill is a group of middle woodland conical and linear mounds.
a.
oaks praise the sky
on the sun’s day
scuffle beneath the snow
b.
up from the surging springs
pasque flower is hiding
vascular refugees
Jacob Riyeff 