Treedom

Walking through the orchard Amongst so many trees Fruit lay on the ground rotting The trees had a strange disease They were lost in their apathy No longer fruitful anymore Sheltered in a land of beauty On the Okanagan shore The birds sang soft and sadly A strange poetic song Flying together in arcs All they wanted was to belong In search of warmth and protection They landed on branches reaching high A transplanted tree from Jamaica Majestically framed by the sky Uprooted from the island Oh so many years ago With branches reaching outward His leaves had a golden glow I sat beneath his branches So his story he could tell Into my outstretched palm A perfectly formed apple fell As I bit into the fruit I could hear his voice so clear A different kind of listening I heard him whisper in my ear "Within my laughter there is magic Yet I am serious at my core Let me help you find your wisdom A wooden key unlocks the door I have traveled many places Felt the sand beneath my feet I have known the joy of victory Yet I have learned more from defeat The things I thought so important Slipped from my clutching hands As I chased after foolishness In a world filled with demands Not connected to my quiet That silent outcry of my soul My branches stripped of everything As I played my worldly role Once true to myself I found freedom In a city perched by a lake Lush branches fully outstretched I now give instead of take Not born to be a conquerer Love is my soulful call Rooted within my spirit Available to one and all I bring you peace from my island See how less can be so much more Come have a taste of freedom Beneath my branches on this shore! Inspired by and dedicated to Rawle James. Rawle is the founder of the "Inspired Word Cafe".