A rich glade sits in the midst of the forest Surrounded by fortresses of trunk and leaf The autumn colors of the matted floor mix Yet the living leaves are still luscious green Time pauses as it enters the glade, Hangs in an eternal moment Nothing moves, the sounds are silenced Only me and coy Mother Nature Through the canopy the clouds drift by The occasional downpour soaks the wood with life A dewy smell rises from the leaves beneath Then is pushed away by the cool breeze Legend tells of treasure hid here, Surpassing wealth of kings and lords I seek but cannot find No chest, no trunk or buried box No hollow in a gnarled tree No clue, no hint, no treasure But then a sliver of light appears from above And casts itself into my mind This is the treasure The glade displays Nature's treasures But only to those whose Eyes are open.