Intermediary between worlds
He seems to smile
Dapper, almost foppish
In tight waistcoat
Like a fox or badger.
By magic, peelings of bark become lashes,
Alchemy of fungus and algae, lichen
Worn as horse brasses, like a rose,
Subtle code of light
A lever to open up the lid of secrets.
This calls for dress-up,
A carnival mask to focus
His heron stare
Ready to pounce
When the wild forest
Reveals its mystery.
Poem by Richard Druitt