My new grey hiking shoes

thick soled,

tread too loudly

to celebrate a homing invitation

to hear and see hidden diversity

within this wooded ridge.

I stop to break from sacrilegious

pounding plodding reverberating echoes

through ears attuned for inside

languaged voices and recreation,

amusements excluded from wild nature’s

cathedral voices

breathing impassioned pauses  for mutual gratitude,

co-listening,

hoping for mindful human steps

taken to conjoin this woodland,

enfolding time’s whisper shy adventure.