Into the silence of the woods

I plunged when I veered

Into a narrow footpath 

Leading away to gloom.

Soon I found myself

Slowly enveloped

In a smothering quiet

That was strangely comforting.

As well as encumbering.

Something broke the silence.

Drip, drip – I heard water dropping

On withered leaves.

A gentle breeze woke

The slight murmur of leaves.

A squirrel scurried

Scattering leaves in its wake,

Making dry crunching noise.

Soft dry whispers came

From the slithering snake.

Dripping, chittering,

Murmuring and whispering,

The woods came alive.

The sounds were gentle,

But the pall of quiet was lifting.

Then a bird squawked, 

A rodent cheeped,

A tree branch cracked

And broke in no gentle tone,

And a deer went by pattering, scraping,

Clopping, thudding and echoing.

An eagle screeched above

And broke the rhythm of hooves.

Other noises followed in their wake.

It became a drama of silence

Treading the boards into cacophony.