Elysium

Picking a path through the thick brush, enormous fronds all around as I try to make my way,

Dark dank dampness dripping from leaves as the golden sunlight filters through here and there,

The air so heavy you could almost grab it with your hand, my breathing labored, chest tight,

Eyes seem to be watching from all around, the sultry croaking of the tree frogs singing out,

In the distance the passionate mating call from one macaw to another rings clearly,

A brilliant flash of color from his magnificent plumage as he takes flight through the branches,

Over the torrid sounds of the forest, I hear a dull roar just within earshot, I journey towards it,

Up ahead of me, beyond the thicket of verdant foliage I see a clearing, like a magnet drawing me in,

Deliberatly, I slowly reach out, parting the lush vegetation, my breath catching in my throat,

Before me with it's majestic splendor a waterfall, the thunderous roar resounding in my ears,

Sunlight bouncing off of the sprays of mist as they float up over the cascading water flow,

Rainbows dance, the spectrums of color breathtaking as I watch quietly from my vantage point,

Tearing my eyes away from such magnificence, taking in the surroundings completely in awe,

Orchids of every description abound, their vibrant colors sparkling amidst the greenery,

Hummingbirds fliting about, darting from bloom to bloom, their iridescent forms dazzling,

Drinking in the sweet nectar with their long slender bills, hovering effortlessly at each blossom,

My eyes catch a sudden movement, there with his regal bearing stands a jaguar, king of this domain,

His taut muscles rippling as he confidently strides toward the lagoons edge, golden eyes gleaming,

Glancing to and fro without a care then dipping his powerful head down to take a cooling drink,

With a quick twitch of his powerful tail he settles down in a crouch, surveying all that is his,

Cautiously, I back away from the clearing, being careful not to disturb the serenity of the moment,

My mind filled with the marvelous scene that I just witnessed, thoughts flowing back over it,

Paradise on earth, even if only for a moment, overcome with a feeling of well being and good fortune,

Elysium found and shared at that spellbinding place, that jaguar's falls.................