Woodland Perspective

Spring and Summer bring to the woodlands
Such variety of vegetation strands
Species of plants both famous and obscure
Spreading their wild beauty to endure

From spore, seed, rhizome
From root, and bulb the plants come
Spread by wind, animals, multiplying
They give the woodland floor covering

Of shaded coloring from rainbow hints
From solid greens to varigated tints
From the all white Indian pipes and May apples
To a variety of hues of fungi samples

Of teaberries and Virginia creeper
On and on the list gets deeper
Of wild grape vines and spring beauty
Of mosses and lichens that are on duty

Ferns must not be missed
By shade and shadow kissed
All bid one to sit and stay awhile
Thinking of nature's woodland style


Woodland Perspective (c) 2001 Quentin Clingerman