i took a drive up to the mountains
stopped near a dense part of the forest
casting my eyes over the forest floor I noticed the ferns
and even as I sat in the pouring rain
looking around for elusive Chanterelles
i felt at peace and at home

not an hour ago I had left my home
and here I was deep in the mountains
never one to be deterred by the rain
i stepped out amongst the ferns
becoming part of the forest
i spotted my first Chanterelles

oh! how I love to pick chanterelles
on the floor of the thick, dark forest
lost in a valley of ferns
with just of touch of cool Oregon rain
no thoughts for the worries of my home
just me, communing with the mountains

from before I could walk I played in these mountains
remembering my youth and vast forests
tucking behind my ear the frawn of a fern
tasting the nutty peppered flavor of fresh Chanterelles
truly, this was my real home
an Oregonian child at peace in the rain

brought back to the present by a large drop of rain
i thought about my family at home
and their connection to these same mountains
and while they did not love Chanterelles
they very much enjoyed playing among the ferns
in this special part of the forest

few things hold a place in my heart like this forest
or the beautiful orange grow of a new Chanterelle
i breathe in deep my home away from home
enjoying each and every drop of falling rain
looking across the range of mountains
sprinkled with soft and gentle ferns

i left my home in search of chanterelles
but was captivated by the mountains and made whole by the rain
in the societal forest, I am but a fern