The frosty winter ground beneath the forest trees

Is very thickly carpeted with all the fallen leaves.

The once brilliant autumn colours are now a muddy brown

And the trees look sad and gaunt without their leafy crown.

The upper leafless branches point starkly at the sky

While noisy crows call raucously as they circle way on high.

Smaller birds hide shyly in holly, shrub and fern

Waiting for the spring when again it will be warm.

The timid deer stand listening by misty forest lake

'Ere venturing to the water's edge, their thirst to gently slake.

How sad to see so many trees, some of mighty girth

Made victims of the violent storms, brought crashing to the earth.

But these giants lying prone in many a forest glade

Still have a place in woodland life as cheeky squirrels parade

Along these mighty trunks, with bushy tails flying high

Avoiding the muddy carpet of leaves, keeping paws quite dry.

In time the balance of nature will turn this devastation

Finding ways to use it in brilliant new creation.

Joy Norgate, Shirley, Southampton

Daily Echo poet-in-residence Polly Clark writes: "I enjoyed the rhythm and rhyming of this suitably wintry poem."

You can e-mail Polly at polly.clark@soton-echo.co.uk