If I were a tree,
I could stand there still.
I would sink deep into my roots and
rest from the haste of life.
I know
my work is done
because I was completely myself.
I would know with intuitive certainty,
I have grown, I have flowered and borne fruit.
I would know about the big letting go before winter.
I would know that
I carry everything in my buds to develop further in the new spring.
All by itself
I know it’s
good
and I could let the silence sink in. Deep, very deep.
There is nothing more to do.
I would have this deep confidence
and would quietly call myself by my name.
I would whisper tenderly to myself, “Heathen,
all is well. Fear not. You are good enough and
connected to everything. Connected to the natural world, the stars, and the big picture.
I would follow
this deep inner longing and let it become completely dark around me.
Would wrap the dark cloak of security around me,
all to myself
alone, and enjoy my innermost light.
Beautiful and inspiring poem! Loved the last verse the most!
This is beautiful! I will continue to read it for inspiration! BEAUTIFUL!
I like it
A wonderfully written poem Bridget! I love it!
I am glad you liked it, Leigha
This is so calming. I’ve been studying trees recently and the relatability is uncanny. They do have deep silence, something rare among humans. We will all one day attain it though, regardless of our material form 😄
I suppose you are right. One day we all will be quiet. 🙂
Beautiful.
Are you familiar with this poem by Becky Helmsley-your words reminded me of it. Here is an excerpt
So she walked to the forest
and stood with the trees,
She heard the wind whisper
and dance with the leaves,
She spoke to the willow,
the elm and the pine,
And she told them what she’d
been told time after time,
She told them she felt
she was never enough,
She was either too little
or far far too much,
Too loud or too quiet,
too fierce or too weak,
Too wise or too foolish,
too bold or too meek,
Then she found a small clearing
surrounded by firs,
And she stopped…and she heard
what the trees said to her,
And she sat there for hours
not wanting to leave,
For the forest said nothing
it just let her breathe.
No, I never heard of it. It’s beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
Bridget here is the link to the entire poem, I think you will like it
https://southerncrossreview.org/141/hemsley-breathe.html
💖💖💖
Pardon the pun, Treemendously well done. I love your metaphor.
Thank you so very much.
I liked this a lot. Some many metaphors. The tree is wise, confident and has accepted itself completely.
We can learn from this tree 🙂
Trees shelter and have roots… I like that.
This is so beautiful. I enjoyed reading it immensely.
Ah. That was wonderful and affirming: “…all is well. Fear not. You are good enough and connected to…the natural world, the stars, and the big picture.” The closing with the dark cloak of security all to myself spoke comfort to my inner introvert.
You’d make a lovely tree. How precious. I’d choose to sit under your shade to read. I like this. Thanks.
This is a beautiful expression of metaphor that touches me deeply. I guess “deeply” like the roots of the beautiful tree. “I would know with intuitive certainty,
I have grown, I have flowered and borne fruit. I would know about the big letting go before winter.” This phrase is going to stay with me.
You write the best comments. You are good for my soul and you give me the confidence to continue writing about whatever ends up being on my mind. I am glad you liked the poem.
Very nice. I love ‘the big letting go.’
I would exhaust myself every day waving to everyone I could see for miles around!
Now I will spend the rest of the day trying to get this image out of my mind. A tree, with Peter’s face, waving frantically at … everybody 🤣🤣🤣
….and making rude gestures at some!
that was a given 🙂
That’s a beautiful piece…I wouldn’t mind being a tree. But I’d rather be a bird. I think. Or my dog.
I think trees see a lot. I often wished these old trees in Italy, or Austria could talk and tell their story. Who was sitting in their shadow. Who was hiding behind their trunk?
Beautifully expressed!
Good one! I wouldn’t wanna be a tree cause I don’t think I would want to be pissed on by a dog, be pecked in, infested by ants or bugs, my leaves eaten by giraffes or chopped down and burned.
I just ‘love’ your positive mindset. Perhaps you are right, it’s so much better to be human. Nobody ever pisses on us, we don’t get burned or overrun by a virus or bacterias. Nobody ever pecks at us. 🙂
Yeah I was just having a bit of fun. Don’t mind me. I always take the piss. Your poem is wonderful. I do want to be a tree after all 😁
LOL I was pulling your ‘roots’ a bit.
😁
Profound arboreal musings
The farmgirl has a deep bond to trees. 🙂
Nice!
Oh now, you used the ‘n-word’ 🙂 (Just kidding, I am allergic to the word ‘nice’ but no worries, I use it myself mostly then when I know I need to say something ‘nice’ but really don’t want to.) 🙂
Good morning! 🙂
LOL I really did want to say something, but I’m not very talkative. I guess I’ll be a weeping willow tree. 😉