In the silence between morning birds’ song
whispered comforts or threats traverse unseen
Communities of canopies
Neighbourhoods of heartwood sheltered deep
for decades or centuries
Human steps tread past or with bravado some ascend
lookout holding steady trunks endure
fragile limbs of women and men
Night gatherings moonlit shadow shapes
sacred swaying to the rhythm of stars
Record keepers
inhaling exhaling all glory all decay all debris
Beyond the continuum of this holy life
our human eyes may glimpse a light amid seas of possibility
Yet misinterpret again and again the message of our role
and what could be
We occupy this fleeting existence so temporarily
what has been and always there will be
beyond you and me beyond all of us in our collective lack
Despite our elevated posturing our experiments our narcissism
our valour even our creativity
After we again have surrendered and ground ourselves back to dust
There will remain the one constant one glory whose truth
always was and ever will guarantee
Survival of the Tree
