The dry leaves crinkle and crunch under foot
I proceed slowly to reduce the noise
I must be careful not to trip over that root
So as to not disturb the woodland bois
.
Then I hear it—the flutter of wings
He lands on a branch and calls to a friend
Oh how I love to listen as the birds sing
This is a pleasure I would recommend
.
I find a log on which to sit and ponder
The big questions—what’s the meaning of life?
What a perfect place to let my mind wander
Far away from a world so full of strife
.
There’s nothing quite like a walk in the woods
Spend time in nature, everyone should
.
-Nick Whaley
(Please disregard the period between each stanza. I don’t know how else to separate the stanzas.)
English 110 Honors Spring 2020 
I really like your picture and how it’s perspective is low with the ground to emphasize the leaves that you described in the first stanza. Your imagery is really strong too and I felt as if I were vicariously hearing the leaves crunching and the wings flapping. The poem sort of reminds me of the Romanticism movement where you’re alone in the woods reflecting upon the entirety of the world — the meaning of life. And yes, I agree everyone should experience such a feeling and I look forward to the next time I spend some time alone walking through the woods.
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Nick, I really enjoyed this poem. What I liked best about it was the contrast between something very small and natural and something that is bigger than us- I did not expect you to go from hearing the birds sing to questioning the meaning of life. The imagery of your poem was also very strong, and I was able to picture my own walks in the woods while I was reading it. Spending time in nature is something that we should all do, and your poem captured this very well.
-Katie Graboski
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Nick,
This poem reminds me of one of the pieces you shared with the class earlier in the semester. If I remember correctly, in the previous post, you described going for a boat ride in a canoe and highlighted how that experience changed your perspective on nature. After you read that piece aloud, many of us commented on how beautiful the imagery was, and how we could vividly imagine the scene you described. Like that blog post, this poem also has powerful imagery. I could really envision myself going for a walk in the woods, listening to the bird’s chirp and the leaves crunch underneath my feet. I also enjoyed this poem because I think the third stanza is really relatable. Whenever I need to calm down, contemplate something, or just “let my mind wander,” I find myself headed outside. It truly is the best place to ponder the big questions.
-Renea
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