Leaf Litter

Haunted Forest Trilogy

by Jarod K. Anderson

Poet and podcaster Jarod K. Anderson (creator of The CryptoNaturalist Podcast and author of Field Guide to the Haunted Forest) contemplates mental health and celebrates the natural world with warmth and humor. The poetry and prose in this collection are an eclectic mix unified by themes of stubborn hope and empathy. Vivid and approachable, the work gathered here invites readers to rediscover commonplace wonders and find new beauty in topics ranging from owls to atoms. The poems in this collection highlight our connection to a living universe and affirm our place in a wilderness worthy of our love.

Genres: Poetry, Nature, Nonfiction, Mental Health

83 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 29, 2023

About the author

Jarod K. Anderson is a strange mix of fantasy nerd, nature writer, podcaster, poet, and erstwhile academic. He once accidentally picked up a rattlesnake and has slept in the branches of a maple tree more than most writers. He created and voices The CryptoNaturalist podcast, a show about real love for imaginary nature, and he regularly shares his poems and prose on social media. He has published three books of poetry as well as the memoir Something in the Woods Loves You, about his lifelong struggle with depression and the healing power of the natural world. His new contemporary fantasy novel Strange Animals will be published in February 2026 by Ballantine Books. He has an MA in early modern English literature and insists he’s more fun than that makes him sound. He lives with his wife and son in a little white house tucked between a park and a cemetery.

Reviews

[Rachel Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books. I love how much this poetry speaks to my soul and how much I can identify with the poems. I love the outdoors and these poems put things in to words that I never really thought about until I read them. I whole heartily recommend these books to people.

[Mer Mendoza (Merlyn’s Book Hoard) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leaf litter on the forest floor,
Slowly becoming soil,
Does not represent the failure
Of past summers’ trees

This volume delivers all the poignant observations I’ve come to expect from Jarod K Anderson.

It’s a collection about learning to be ok and choosing to live and love the world.

[Jane Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection. What a conclusion to my all time favourite poetry trilogy! Funny, moving, strange, relatable and so profound!!

[Ehryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection really interconnects mental health and the world around us, sharing insight, inspiration, and acknowledgement. Jarod K. Anderson is truly talented and I hope he keeps writing and sharing that writing.

[Ann Merriwether · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot describe how moved I am by Jarod K Anderson’s poetry. If you are a person that finds happiness and beautiful sadness in the world of nature then this is for you. His poems speak about ecology and connection with the forest. His poems connect us to water and the stars. When I have felt deep existential dread, his poems offer comfort. When I have felt joy and wonder in nature his poems say, I feel that too.

[Heather Larocchia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book of a trilogy, and the minute I saw Anderson post about its release on Instagram I had to buy it. I love the other two books in this series, and this one was similar (although perhaps my least favorite of the three). This one felt more human-centric, and there seemed to be a large focus on human emotion. Still, the way Anderson writes of other creatures and non-human life is really gentle and appealing to me.

I especially enjoyed the poems:

- Bone Collector
- Sip
- Bespoke

[Consumed by Mold · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful conclusion to this trilogy, so comforting as always. It explores hope, self worth and mental health through nature and left me feeling very at peace despite the awful state the world is in right now.

"Every gray day I inhale pain
and exhale poetry.
It doesn’t matter that I don’t have enough
breath in me to turn the whole sky to song.
What matters is that I know this
and try anyway.
Because if I can’t shatter the jaw of heartache on Earth,
I still won’t shake its fucking hand."


cw: mentions of self harm, depression and suicidal thoughts

[Lewis Szymanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book of poetry I have read by Jarod K. Anderson. I am a big fan of him and his spouse, Leslie J. Anderson, and all of their projects.
What I love about this poet is how he can write prose so modern and timeless simultaneously.
If you need to be connected to our basic, shared humanity and to the planet itself, read one of these poems.
Every entry within is as thought-provoking and life-affirming as the last. I cannot recommend these books enough.

[Kelly]

Meh. I loved his first book, Field Guide to the Haunted Forest. It was like a love letter to the beauty and magic of the natural world. Read it through several times.

But the other 2 books in this trilogy have been a let down. The second book in the trilogy, Notes From the Hollow Tree, veered into mental health. And now this third book took a turn to self worth/affirmations. OK, just not what I need/want, and not what I fell in love with in the first book.

[Kate Parr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anderson's poetry is absolutely beautiful, full of love and forgiveness to a self that we too rarely remember is a art of the world and deserving of care. As with his others I tried not to rush through, tried to read a couple at a time, but they're so good, gently reminding, surprisingly funny that it's almost impossible not to get carried away. I will read anything this man writes.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one didn't quite pack the same whimsical punch as the previous two, and that may be due to my new situation, but there's a melancholy tone that weaves in and out of this one more often. That said, "Tune" alone makes the entire book a treasure, and I'm always happy to see the poems Anderson has posted on their Tumblr collected into a book. I'm looking forward to his memoir.

[Alex Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leaf litter is the third book of poetry in a series by my favorite poet, Jarod K. Anderson.

His poetry speaks of the magic of wildness and natural processes and of our place in nature and its place in us. This third collection is more about accepting grief and sorrow than the others. It offers perspective and motivation to accept change and dares us to find peace.

[Jan Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like Anderson's poetry. It's a combination of love letters to nature and a description of his life, challenges and triumphs.

Making Space

I often walk the woods alone.

Not because I crave solitude for solitude's sake,
but because when I am the only human
it is much easier to notice

other kinds of companionship.

[Antoinette Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems are the words I did not know I needed. “ Challenge your own guilt about things you do not control. Tell it to hush.” Page 33 from Challenge . Anderson’s poems inspire peace and reassurance that it is okay to just be and you are a part of nature . His poems depict his own struggles with anxiety and depression, inspiring a connection that you are not alone in your struggles.

[Kaycee · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first two books of this trilogy, I was thrilled to get my hands on the third. I love the authors ability to find hope, use natural metaphors to underline his points, and to speak to mental health issues in a way that shows empathy and clarity.

[freya! · Rating 5 out of 5]

i would like to heartily recommend the entire trilogy if you want to smile in awe at ourselves and everything around us, stop and think for a moment or two in sheer wonder and have a nice chuckle at a good fact here and there

[Kyrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is my favorite of his books, so far. It took a long time for me to finish because I limited myself to one or two a day, just to savor and ponder. I will be rereading them, and putting markers by my favorites.

[Sherrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only complaint is I wish there was more. I love this author. A mix of beauty and just straight up dark. From the war in the world to the war in our heads, Jarod goes dark places. From our ancient connection to the world to stubborn hope, Jarod goes beautiful places.

[Linda Brinkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, loved this book of poetry, the whole trilogy, in fact.
"How can something I think of every day/ always stay half a myth?"

[Allison (Azyrre) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing, beautiful collection of poetry from Jarod K. Anderson. I can't recommend his work enough!

[Chanda Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, simple poems of nature and connectedness

[Brigitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring

Inspiring and life giving. This changed me. The poems have. Way of grounding you, and bringing you back to presence and what's important

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jarods trilogy, this is my favourite.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miraculous

[Fieryice · Rating 5 out of 5]

The whole trilogy 5 ⭐️

[Julia Matteucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written poems, and some are even funny! I could really immerse myself in the imagery and reminds me to get outside!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely the best of the trilogy. The collection flowed, sometimes meandering, but was a rather enjoyable journey. Would definitely recommend.

[Jen Poteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful collection of poetry