Trees
you know of such things
as malice and cruelty
and speak of them daily
amongst yourselves
shaking your heads in dismay
when we think that
it's just the wind slipping
between your boughs
distorting your words
you know of the
seedling's struggle
of the odds against it
growing old and wise
such as yourselves
the forces it must overcome
to reach the sun
defy the sword's sharp edge to
become the earth's sentinel
you know about gales
that topple saplings
cold that splits them
lightning that
cuts them to their quick
disease that renders them
no more than empty shells
pushed them to their limits
sometimes too far
sometimes too soon
you know that it is
not always chance
that evil lives in every
breathing thinking thing
and on a mad whim
strikes out blindly
at anything and everything
tree
bird
deer
child
never noticing
as its shadow passes
that seed
hiding at your feet
