Chelsea is an English Honours student at USask and they wrote this poem for an ENG 120 class back in 2018. An image came to Chelsea’s mind — woodland mice tucking in their young and knitting mittens for other creatures. The rest of the poem unraveled from there.
Woodland Seasons
21 December
lights flicker on as evening descends
animals shiver as cold air fills their lungs
snow gently falls from the endless sky
the longest night draws near
snow lands on the feathers of
a lonely owl calling out a warning
eyeing his territory before taking flight
his wings push against cold air
as he searches for the moon to
offer light during the long night
dark hours spent guarding the forest
ensuring predators do not enter unannounced
kept warm by the work of summer mice
wool hugging his plumage as the chill breeze
carries echoes of snoring creatures
trusting him to keep them safe
19 March
light bursts through new leaves as
morning dew coats the blooming flowers
the season’s offspring struggle to find
their feet as they explore a new world
wood frogs emerge from a
season buried under ice and snow
stirring from their winter slumber
to the spring sun’s warmth
they sleepily rouse their limbs
and come back to life
they have waited all season to practice
sending love songs into the evening sky
their chorus begins and the forest stills
as the woodland stops to listen to the choir
animals rejoice in the knowledge that
spring has finally arrived
20 June
light paints a rosy glow as the sun
reluctantly dips below the horizon
leaves rustle in the slow summer breeze
as sleep overtakes the woodland
field mice scamper to their homes
to prepare a warm dinner
for their young before
they tuck them up in bed
read them a bedtime story and
place a kiss on their soft heads
the bare forest floor reveals
abandoned mittens waiting to be remade
summer evenings are spent knitting blankets
to protect neighbours from harsh winter winds
their small hands work feverishly to
mold the thread into patterns of love
22 September
light dances across the forest floor as
dying leaves fall from towering trees
evenings have begun to carry a chill
bringing with them the threat of winter
a red fox emerges from his den
into the golden light of the forest
soft ears twitch in response to
movement in the undergrowth
squirrels digging holes to store
collections of acorns
mice present stacks of knitted blankets
a season of work to comfort neighbours
distributed as the fox directs sleepy
bears toward abandoned caves
silence falls as he guides the animals
into their hidden winter homes
the fox returns to his den only
when the sky resembles spilled ink
and the owl begins his lonely call
he tucks his head under his tail as
the frogs sing their final song until
spring greets the woodland once again
Follow Chelsea Hill on Instagram @falllout.
Image: Lava by Teigen Clark
This piece was selected and edited by the in medias res 2019-20 editorial board as part of the IMR Winter 2020 issue, cancelled due to COVID-19.