Enter, if you dare
Into forest primeval
Stream of light just highlight
The depth of darkness within
Tread carefully over moss and
Uneven, untouched ground
Never manicured or managed
And beware ...
Of old roots that lurk and trip
Of creatures hidden within the woods
Busy at their lives so removed from ours
Tread quietly, and still your breathing
Listen for the birds you cannot see
The songs embedded within this place
The whispers of humans who passed long ago
Stories exchanged away from others
Whispers of love
Echos of the sobs of those who sheltered here
Seeking comfort in the steadiness of trees
Tread softly, for this, as much as any cathedral or
Man-made fortress against the world
This, I know in my bones,
Is sacred space.