Bo - That was great.  I liked it a lot and read it through a few times. 

In keeping with your "sound" theme, I just right now wrote this up (and then edited it further just before I posted...).  Whether it is any good or not I couldn't say, but it speaks to my very favorite sound in Algonquin, and a primary reason I love the place so dearly.  It absolutely blows me away that there are times when you can stand in the park and hear absolutely nothing - while knowing there is life on the move everywhere around you.

Blending In

Sounds abound from day to night
As far as I can hear
Paddle splash and beaver tail
Cackling Jays and chirping squirrels
The soft, sweet White-throated sparrow
 
Wind speaks through trees
Water speaks on shorelines
Rain speckles on the forest floor
Barred Owls shock me from sleep
 
The noise of camp
The clank of pots
The zippers rip, The Velcro tears
The snap of sticks for fire
 
Though the rarest of the sounds
And the reason I return, are
Brief moments, between the wind
When all living things around
For as far as I can think or see
Fall silent in the forest
 
A moment when there is no sound
Though life around abounds
The world is still
And silent
 
And I stand
Still
And I Listen
Unnoticed
Absorbed
Until my ears ring, almost burn
In the total, miraculous silence
Of sky, of stars, of sun, of life
My favorite sound of all

 

Thanks very much!  The barred owl line comes from experience.  My first solo canoe trip, I was fast asleep in the tent and one let a call right next to the tent.  Just about blew out my heart's pilot light.

Love that one.  Actually got me a little bit - my dad loved eagles.  After he died in January 2023, eagles started showing up in places I had never seen them before.  On the way to the little cemetery where I buried his urn, one flew over the car.  On the drive home from our last trip to the family cottage, one flew right next to the car as we merged onto a highway.  When we sold that place and cleaned it out we had a sighting.  My wife and I bought our own cottage in the same area, and the first time we visited there we had a sighting near the place.  In 59 years I had never seen even one eagle in that area.  In all, we had five sightings that year, all at poignant moments, and I could not help but feel it was intentional.

So to me, it truly is a wondrous sight, The Eagle strong and free.  And I too pray that man will let him live for all eternity. 

Algonquin Storm

The lake was calm, the earth was still
Deer were grazing on yonder hill
Birds were singing in the trees
Squirrels were playing in the leaves
Clouds were forming in the sky
The sun was shining way up high

Then, without a warning of its birth
All hell broke loose upon the earth
Animals running to and fro
Trees were tossed around like snow
Rain and hail came thundering down
And lightning flashed; and then

The lake was calm, the earth was still
Deer were grazing on yonder hill
Birds were singing in the trees
Squirrels were playing in the leaves
The Storm had come and passed away
On a very lovely Algonquin day

MooseWhizzer Dave wrote:

Keep 'em coming!  I'm really enjoying these!

THE MIGHTY ALGONQUIN PINE

On a very cool and stormy night
Have you ever wondered what it's like
To be a Pine standing  high in the sky
Being never afraid and never too shy
To face the Storm with all its force
The Pine stands straight, direct in its course

And during the Storm the Pine may lose
Branches and needles and other odd cues
But it still stays calm taking this in stride
Swaying back and forth as if alive
Refusing to fall against this power
As if enjoying this hard-time hour

Then sensing its failure and strong defeat
A few hours later the Storm grows weak
To see the Pine still standing high and proud
The top of its head almost touching a cloud
The Storm is sad and heavy with pain
As the Mighty Pine has triumphed again