Somewhere Beyond The Apple Trees Poem by Clive Culverhouse

Ohbard and Pell meet up
over lifetimes and dimensions
for exchanges and conversations:

and as Pell approached his master
he could see Ohbard's attention was taken
what has you so keenly in your thoughts master?

Ohbard was staring at an injured bird

the poor thing, we should put it out of its misery, master

yet who are we to determine misery, young Pell

master, look at it, bleeding out and flickering like that

from our perspective, yes,
but within that broken body,
within that broken head
there may be something wondrous playing out
this little bird may have led a beautiful life
and as such, it is now re-running
to a consciousness deep within
and, if in real-time, this little bird
is living that beautiful life again
can we knowingly take that away from him

the two simply gazed at the dying bird
doubt floated nervously

well master, I am happy to leave wisdom to you
I do not feel ready for such weight

they continued to stare
but it didn't stop dark clouds gathering above them
as the little bird flew joyfully
somewhere beyond the apple trees