Elegy for Old Growth

Elegy – 7-17-24 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elegy for Old Growth Through measures of metered melancholy The tattered winds sing a rent elegy, A pensive wail for pristine old growth, A drifting chant in pure pitch of final farewell – The mute tongue howls in eulogy For virgins of a thousand turns around the sun For helpless giants surrendered in atonal sacrifice. Gentle titans with feathery boughs lifted their faces To embrace misted melodies of summer and winter snows Forest zephyrs sang lullabies for sparrows Nesting in their rustling wombs Then shared the secret lyrics of their song With robins sheltered in their lofty grace of red bark In evensongs, matins and spring symphonies. The myrrh of burial mixes with their lingering fragrance In desolation and in their exposed flesh, Nude hillsides of purple rage Scream in final dirges of farewell Modulated into anthems sung to saplings in circles of renewal Little ones, like half steps, change elegies to odes The threadbare zephyr now chants paeans to remember.