Haibun
Appalachian
Trail
The Chattahoochee
National Forest. On the glass of the map display where the trail
begins, a katydid lingers.
“Want to go with us? No? Then see you at the summit, little
fellow!”
Up the mountain we go - up, up, but bending down to lift a
scarlet maple, a claret dogwood or an amber-yellow tulip-poplar
leaf. There is just a small troupe of flowers still in bloom: a
closed gentian, a bristly aster and wild phlox – all
blue-purple. Skirting them, we step on stones and tree roots to
climb higher and higher.
The Scenic Overlook at last! As far as one can see – forested
mountains in splashes of autumn color, and, towards the horizon,
more mountains in blue mist. We rest on the granite slab: Ah,
how still it is… Not a chirp of cricket or a stir of breeze, or
even the drop of a falling leaf…
Returning by the same path, we hike downhill easily – back to
the trail’s origin and to the map under glass. Our katydid… is
not back yet.
Light wind—
sun darts along
a web strand.
