Now more than ever, I watch it,
in its stillness, I watch as it moves
in the breeze. I have been outside
to wrap my arms around it,
as far as they will reach,
to lie in the grass beside it, stare up
at its height. If I could explain
wisdom, surely it would be
the lines in this tree’s bark.
This tree is unafraid to take space,
it welcomes the birds
with deep voice wisdom
that comes from staying in one place
year after year, observing
the movement around it.
This tree listens to the whisper
of sparrows, the plans of hawks
and ladybugs, its dug-in roots, planted.
The other trees know this one,
respect this one, it has stood
over time, through seasons,
open armed, branches extend out
reaching to the world, to the universe,
to me, to us, some of its buds
wait to pop, some already
in full green, telling the others
that now is the time,
to not be afraid.
-Liza Wolff-Francis
Saturday's Sirens 