Lady of the Trees

I was a sapling once
with my whole life ahead of me.
...

Under the pine tree we did play,
sister and sister, sharing sunny days,
unmindful of any world but our own.
It was a young world
...

It is not yet spring.

The birds return and build their nests,
the sun lingers long in the sky,
...

Tiny rootlets burrow down,
Seedlings spring forth glory-bound,
Jewels set in Nature's crown.
...

Old tree stump,
your life long gone,
yet new life sprouts
from your head -
...

Far away and soft,
comes the welcoming sound
of the train horn.
...

Multi-colored,
my bright colors garish
against the soft blue sky.
...

Hope will not leave me alone.
It stalks me and will not leave me in peace.
It pokes at me again and again
and will not let me stay content
...

What instinct is it we possess
to recognize those of our kind?
How do I know with certainty
this kindred soul is paired with mine?
...

A father's gift is to complete his child. By his mere presence, with every act, with every word, with every kindness, with his quiet attention, he builds a child. All is observed, all is taken in, all is absorbed by a child.

It is a vulnerable time, though we know it not. We go about our business living, growing, learning. It is a special time of seeing the world anew. All is new, experiencing everything for the first time - even grief and death. Too soon, too soon. The gift was not complete.
...