It would never have worked out anyway,
you and I.
.
Me,
a lonely tree,
still sturdy enough
to shelter you when there was rain
my own pain present in my rings–
you wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t made you ask.
.
You,
a fallen sparrow,
just looking for a place to stay
until you flew away–
your wings are meant for flying, you know.
.
Naturally,
we parted ways,
years floating by as you flew, and I grew tall–
I can see more beauty from a distance, now.
.
I stand my ground,
and sometimes look around
at the leaves I have spread,
effortlessly,
onto the earth below:
expanding pain and beauty and time
giving only wisdom back
to the soil–
they are called growth rings,
after all.
This weekend, I shared some of my work at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in NYC. Considering I had not planned on this at all (had only expected to listen to some spoken word) it went pretty well! The experience paired with this lovely article (http://www.elephantjournal.com/2016/01/the-mindful-life-illustrated-what-we-can-learn-from-trees/) inspired this poem…and for me to change things up and add a [google search provided] photograph. Happy Monday!