The Emerald Forest Soldiers

Dark spiders hover between the sky and the ground – timeless,
They mimic the elegant movements of skyscraper branches and whispering clouds.
The silhouettes vanish as a vibrant phoenix rolls out of hiding and illuminates the greenwood – jovial,
The gloomy atmosphere transforms and an azure backdrop pours out of the heavens.
The serenity falters as dirt and leaves crunch under little red boots – a girl,
A gentle breeze tickles her nose as she inhales the freshness of The Emerald Forest.
She tastes the saltiness of the clear stream trickling over stones beside her – flowing,
The girl clambers over a mossy boulder separating her from the riverbank.
Peeling off her scarlet shoes, she feels the cool mud between her toes – squelching.
The competitive thrumming of cicadas and laugh of a kookaburra lulls her into a peaceful trance.
The tranquillity washes away the worries of the human world like a gentle waterfall – kindly,
Everything is still. Silent. Perfect. In its place. Together.
A stygian solider the size of a water droplet steps forward – bravely,
He crawls over the girl’s muddied toes, dwarfed but not afraid.
As he reaches the other side of her foot, he quickens his pace – excited,
The insect scuttles away from the intruder to join his family.
The young girl’s smile widens, a joyous feeling overwhelming her – love,
She peeks over the towering eucalyptus walls and gasps as the golden phoenix dips below the horizon.
She hurriedly pulls her wellingtons back on and scrambles over the grimy rock – rushing,
The girl reaches the edge of the forest and contently looks back before hurrying home to her family.