An Understory Story

The trees are super tall,

like they are reaching outer space.

But under them it is darker,

like hiding in my blanket.

I see a mushroom family,

I think they are having dinner.

A beetle crawls past my shoe and

I did not scream this time.

The ground smells like wet dirt,

and leaves are crunchy if I sit on them.

I found a snail shell,

it was empty, maybe he moved house.

Spiders make string bridges,

ants have parades with crumbs.

The birds yell up top,

but use inside voices when they are down low.

The understory is a secret place.

Don’t tell the trees I told you so.