In Madison Julius Cawein's Meeting in the Woods, a young man named John meets a mysterious woman in the woods. She is a beautiful, mysterious figure, and John is instantly captivated by her. She tells him that she is a spirit of the woods, and that she has been watching him for some time. She tells him that she has been sent to him by the gods to help him find his true purpose in life. John is hesitant at first, but eventually agrees to follow her. She leads him through the woods, and they eventually come to a clearing where a group of people are gathered. They are all dressed in white, and they are all singing and dancing. John is amazed by the beauty of the scene, and he soon realizes that these people are all spirits of the woods. The woman tells John that he must join them in their celebration, and he does so. As he dances and sings with them, he begins to understand the true meaning of life and his place in it. He learns that he must find his own path and follow it, and that he must be true to himself. At the end of the night, the woman tells John that he must now go back to the world of the living and use the knowledge he has gained to make a difference. John returns to the world of the living, and he is changed forever. He is now a wiser, more enlightened person, and he is determined to make a difference in the world.
By Madison Julius Cawein · First published 1902 · Genre: Romantic Poetry, Nature Poetry, Fantasy Poetry