between the branches walking through the woods today under the boughs of a great old tree looking up and seeing the sky between the branches hush trees budding water rushing and moss on boulders thousands of years old to be stepped on snap a twig in the rising of the sun on this day? no words talking listening, in the quiet, the birds begin to come to you, and send a message landing on your outstretched arm like a branch sings hello i asked the sparrow, and he darted away immediately in search of a recipient wonderful birds wonderfully heard singing, singing on this other day between the trees water rushing tree swaying sun shining bird calling water rushing by the small fishes in the shallows swiming between the shafts of sunlight animals between the branches gathering nuts birds flying, nests, fruits, budding flowers. some young trees and mature trees. some places, some spaces two trees growing together as one like lovers, strong healthy trees with vines hanging over them, and patches of moss and ferns some boulders which have fallen here centuries ago as they slowly gather towards the river young trees. trees of all ages. other places old worn trees, leaves, years of leaves lying on the forest floor small violets and brilliant white trilliums budding, blossoming forth in patches between the moss and boulders amongst the bed of leaves. squirrels jumping and frolicing high up in the branches of the trees running from tree to tree along with the birds who proceed in strange ritual song and flying formation following some unseen unheard instinct together, as one thought moving through the wood sun moving slowly by quiet bright small violet wildflowers the soft scent of cherry blossoms the cherry blossoms bloom beautiful flowers which in turn generate the bodies for the flow of sap into the forms of cherries flowing into the forms of cherries forming a seed and a fruit so they may fall in the fall and rise up again next spring amongst the other trees blossoming, budding. life, rising, green, colours intensify themselves in this intensity of spring the forest rising up like a living flame of budding life it does not burn with heat but in beauty through and through the tree enlivening it with life which shapes and forms the sap along it's forces feel the branches like stroking a cat so slowly... a tree is a spirit a chandelier like a tree lives shedding it's light and casting shadows in fortuitious harmony dangling in the wind i am rushing through your chimes and brushing through your hair caressing your supple branches i blow like the wind and carry sweet scents for all to hear standing so slowly still like a rabbit moving it's nose pausing to draw near beside the mushrooms played in a ring a squirrel gathers it's nut up into the trees between the budding flowers and into the seas of sky turning crimson blue into a sunset and shadow of another day to sleep in the cool moonlight with the breeze gently by quietly warm beside you swaying together we breath like the wind. a forest of pictures of trees look at me like a photograph see the all in the picture every note has a sound has a shape a mood and tone playing and responding singing a tone humming a tune riding by down this road trees moving slowly by birds singing trees budding blue grey sky overhead silently land budding turn yourself over your arms like branches head like a leaf with it's back facing the sun catching it and holding it stretch forth to it's rays holding still like a painting birds calling through branches twisting in two one if your life were a painting, would it be a good one? picture this a painting of a tree another painting of a tree stretching as far as the eye can see a forest of paintings of trees living paintings of trees swaying in day at night leaves upturned towards the sun together in radiance bringing forth the fragrances from their deepest bowels up and through the earth offering their water back up into the sky to rain down and bloom through yet another flower by a river by a channel by a stone by a leaf a bird picked up in it's mouth, and flying high above the sky soaring on the currents between the clouds between the beams of sunlight which stretch themselves back down into the water to sing it's calling forth of the tiny blossoms hidden in the fall of the earth a tree i have been standing here for the rising and setting of many suns and moons and seasons here i stood as the ice melted slowly in the spring and i rose up my head to meet the sun and bathe in it's glory growing all the time towards it like the others around me each in our places some of us were eaten as seeds and other ones were choked by the those who were not kind enough to share and others we spread our branches up into the summer standing long and calm in the cool night until slowly the dark is less dark and the light is more light the birds singing their praises for the dawning of the sun the beginning of a new day which again follows the night standing still and swaying slowly in the breeze sun crosses it's shadows across me a bird nests in my branches i am a bird, i am a tree, i am the water floating by me. (john roland penner, may 18, 1997) SUBMIT AN ARTICLE posted: april 5, 1999 updated: april 3, 2004