Appalachians

Twice-built mountains

thrust faulted

into the sky

Eroded to nothing

in the Mesozoic

Uplifted again

by the Cenozoic

Ridge runners

and valleys

rock outcrop

on clay

Brooks and branches

streams and standing

pools empty

into the rivers

Cumberland and Tennessee

How high

Rabun and Brasstown

How high

Clingman's and Big Frog

How high

Mitchell, Grandfather and Cold

A bed

of conifer needles

A coat

of Fraser fir

A floor

of Holly leaf

and tuliptree

oak, chestnuts

and hickory

A gathering

of blueberries

and blackberries

huckleberries

and tea

Abode

of tree squirrel

and cottontail

wolf, cougar, beaver

and bear

Abode

of fox, coyote

and woodchuck

and white-tail deer

Sight the

wild-turkey

owl and mournimg dove

raven and red-tailed hawk

Sight the

garter, rat

and copperhead

on the mountain path

you walk

Folded mountains

thrust-fault mountains

uplift mountains

Appalachian mountains all.

Talking mountains

who will listen?

Walking mountains

who goes there?

Questions answered

Listen,

in the Appalachian

mountain air.

1/31/17