A startled herd of Elk
Suddenly takes flight
Stampeeding geese on the water
All during the night

Thundering bluffs cascade
As ice fails it's grip
With rising temperatures
Small bergs spin and dip

Endless counts of stars
In the darkest of night
As a mammel skims the surface
And the pelicans take flight

A lone wolf in the distance
Calls out to it's mate
Or attempts to ambuse it's prey
In anticipation we wait

The wind picks up pace
As the pack string stirs
What this night will bring
Is all to unsure

A horned owl sound out
Pulling the last watch of night
A slight fading of stars
With the oncoming of light

To the west are stars
To the east they fade
The first glimmer of light
A new day is made

Rustling movement
In the brush over there
A squirrel, or a deer
Or maybe a forraging bear

The Rockies, or the Teetons
Blue Ridge it could be
Wilderness of this country
Magnificent to see

In the era of Wild Bill, Doc or Laduaux
From sea to shinning sea
The wilderness is certainly a part of my life
There's no place I'd rather be

Reride Smith