Trees...I can tell...

Trees


I can tell when you're having it rough
when your leaves hang limp with thirst
and your bark looks even more wizened
somehow and like me you long for rain
for that moldy smell that rises from
the earth when it first makes contact
and sends dust motes flying in all
directions


                                              and then
I can almost hear you drinking pulling
it all up desperate for your share and
when there isn't enough when the clouds
are stingy with their gifts the sun
merciless how somehow you share so
that there is enough to go around so
that not one of you falters or at least
not for long


                                              before the
sky gives up its goodness again when
it rains for days on end and what you
can't use the ponds and streams store
away in a spirit of collaboration not
seen at the upper levels of existence
in this place where we creatures of a
lesser sort persist in deeming ourselves
enlightened.


https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Lovejoy/e/B00JJ259DS

Trees...beyond you...

Trees


beyond you lies another world
that deals in things that have nothing
to do with tenacity and perseverance
patience and fortitude but with fear
of failure to rise above the pettiness
the mundane and the mediocre


do you feel fear is that what
I hear at night when the wind blows
so hard that I think you will fall over
finally come crashing down against
your green wills and lie waiting for
the decomposers to claim you


is that you howling through the
shadows boughs bending in all
directions at the whim of the thing
greater than you that has you in its
grip and won't relent until it is
satisfied that it has bent you


beaten you into submission.
Imagine my awe as the light
builds and there you are again
almost magically my faith restored
in my living fortress my barricade
against what can only diminish me.


https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Lovejoy/e/B00JJ259DS

Trees...I wait with you...

I wait with you


have acquired your patient ways
your resignation to fates unknown
and beyond your control much as
you are defrocked each year perhaps
against your will if trees have wills


I have a will


but like you I often let the wind take
me where it will forfeit my power
go along for rides whose destinations
have not always been unpleasant where
there has always been something to learn


And now I wait


not far from you never far as near
as an arm out the window or a walk
down off the deck a drive through
shaded tunnels passageways made
by you in that way you have


https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Lovejoy/e/B00JJ259DS

Trees...you have done it again...

Trees

you have done it again

amazed me with your resilience

enthralled me with your unrelenting

stoicism against the elements

and lived to tell of it

in your own way

with your stiff upper lips

and haughty postures making

even your ancient bent backs

works of art

you tell of this storm or that

of winds wild enough

to blow roofs off

and hats

turn parasols

wrong side out

much

to the dismay of those who

mistakenly persist

in defying you

fools not to see

how you survived

another winter scourge

how silly of them

not to hear your deep wisdoms

your sap coursing

your buds groaning

your words

that they mistake for

creakings and bark splittings

and rustlings as though

desiccated old

oak leaves had nothing

left to say


https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Lovejoy/e/B00JJ259DS

　

Trees...at first light...

Trees

　

at first light

 

is when I remember

that you've been there

all night

that you waited

through rain and wind

listening

as the pond froze

snapping its resistance

ostensibly

before succumbing

before showing you

your morning faces

your disheveled wild

winter look

the one I will see

until May

and will somehow love

because

 you will always be there

at first light

waiting for me

to remember

https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Lovejoy/e/B00JJ259DS

 

 

Trees...and there it appears...

One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’ Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’ But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’ Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’ But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’ Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’ The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’ Judges 9: 8-15

　

Trees

 

 

　

and there it appears

lost in a sea of verses

the inevitable mention of you

who are second only to the gods

in wisdom

even they saw fit to use you

in parables

make of you allegorical

sentient

knowing beings

weeping ever

through your leaves.

　

how many other weavers

of words

have given you voice

shape substance

worth mystery

longevity?

　

fools we are

to think

you merely stand there mute

disinterested

consenting to be

stripped bare each year

knowing in your heartwood

that you will be called

to even greater glory

when the peepers sing

and the days once more

grow long.

　

kings all

serving no one

your place at his right hand

assured

the ancient entish among you

smiling

who have known

all along.

https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Lovejoy/e/B00JJ259DS

Trees....it has come to this...

Trees

it has come to this

long knowing that today

is all we have

for tomorrow will mark

the end

of your sojourn on this earth

of your towering over this place

of your watching

your waiting

for what you knew

would surely come

someday

and now it is that

someday

the day when I compose

a dirge that I will sing

silently

as pieces of you are

taken away

pieces of me

as year by year

falls away from you

from us

from your bark

your flesh

your boughs

your arms

your heartwood

your very soul

but you will hear

you will hear

and for you

for us

I will sing

silently

https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Lovejoy/e/B00JJ259DS