Nurture your Nature

Autumn along the Clark Fork, Clark Fork Natural Park

One crosses the worn wood ties of this bridge over a trickle of water
to enter Clark Fork Natural Park, it's sign engraved, yellow in brown.

13 leaflets turn yellow to orange to red;
a red leaflet caught in the long needled pine.

A scrape of a sound as a maple leaf wends its way to the ground;
a scrape of gravel as a walker passes.

The gooseberry bush bears naught but mottled leaves;
a branch sways to the leap of a squirrel;
black wings swirl above in silence;
a jet soars by, not so quiet.

Two terriers meet, one white, one black;
a squirrel scampers up a tree, now wanders around, mindful of me.

Maroon leaves of the virginia creeper;
the flume so calm leaves barely move.

Faint roar of the river;
The tower of the old Milwaukee Road depot and the end of this path.

Autumn along the Clark Fork, Clark Fork Natural Park, 19 October, 2008, Missoula, Montana

79