Tree And Wind Poem by Bill Galvin

As the tree knows the wind,
So should we know our poems inside.
The bending, lifting, eventful motions
Of an invisible force cannot be
But the expressions released
After motionless periods of reflection.

That reflection characterized by activity
Within the living structure.
Birds, squirrels, insects…
Visiting and inhabiting, revealing their purpose;
Shelter, symbiosis…
Their harmony is the poem of the tree.

A traveler, and a station…
"Stay with me a while;
Convey to me your newness, your concerns,
Your gentleness, your sarcasm;
Enrich my soul of your wanderings."

Bearing extremes to better appreciate the means,
The flowing poetry of forbearance
Is generated from their unique attributes.
They make time for one other…
Sharing, debating… feeling the other's freshness…
The present moment.

Whether a gentle breeze or a gusty blow,
The fluid highways of the sky connect all, touch all,
But only for a short, fleeting moment…
Such is the poem of the wind.

A traveler, and a station…
"Let me stay a while;
Tell me what I have not felt,
Show me what I have not seen,
Moving so, I still cannot see everything."

Fearing no rejection,
They flow within and among one another,
Learning their differences,
Absorbing their commonness.
They write their poems upon each other's scrolls;
Intermeshing acceptance with elation.

Tree and wind communicate.

3-30-2016 (adapted from original 1973)