even now
in the midst of spring’s
green and glorious abundances
trees whisper of the coming of winter
their voices – sweet and high
subtle murmurs in the wind
recalling long forgotten landscapes
remembering footprints and laughing children
recording the unspoken promises of lovers
ring
after ring
after ring
life’s ebb and flow…here
our Elders – earthbound only
by the circles of our mutual existence
even now
these breath-taking, life-giving magicians
dream of changing spring into summer into fall into winter
becoming and becoming and becoming…
tables and chairs
food and medicine
music and fire…
gracefully relinquishing
leaf and root and bark
surrendering all in the name of transformation
and here
leaf-fluttering and limb-creaking
they hope that you, yourself
will witness them as art
even while remembering them as trees…
Contributed by Tricia Alexander, Chicago, IL