little rainbows deep inside the forest
we were in the forest
walking on eggshells
fingers pointing at all the
colorful edibles
off limits this time of the year
decreed by the queen herself
the forest wasn’t petrified
instead shrinking
year over year over year
sand & sea by east
strawberry fields by west
both advancing
slowly but deliberately
—lured by the magical mushrooms
deep inside the forest
october two thousand twenty-two
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
jdubqca 
I absolutely love your imagery. It gives it a sense of wonder and dread at the same time.