The lake was silent
So trees could communicate,
A birdsong filled the gap.
note: The poem is inspired by darkness that is late autumn, on the edge of winter. My first autumn in Finland (years ago) hit me like a ton of bricks. Mother Nature is deceiving this way, she will first tease with a colourful display but once the trees start shedding those romantic and picturesque leaves, it’s a long wait before snowfall.
Over the years I’ve learned to embrace the season, otherwise it would be fighting a losing battle. Because late autumn seems to dictate, “Migrate or hibernate!”. I interpret hibernation as a time for contemplation instead of an inactive state, as the nature forces us to slow down. And whilst lost in quiet contemplation of scenery ― I happen to live nearby a forest and lake ― there is nothing more joyous in that moment than a Greenfinch song (Viherpeippo), one of the bird species less inclined to migrate.