Tree of Life

Tree of Life From the fertile ground, its form took shape As the sun began to climb the forest sky Sunshine drew a crown of leaves upon its limbs And the blossoms filled the forest with the deep scent of aspirations Over the years the Aspen rapidly cycled through the seasons Bearing fruit which fell upon the forest floor To nourish its roots for the next year’s growth The strength of its boughs bent over the years As curves and cracks began to etch character upon its bark The timeless toils of the seasons took its toll upon its fruit Lessening the pungent perfume as its leaves became sparse and yellowed Then from the less than perfect, the aging limbs The long-sought aspiration began to blossom As from the roots of spirit and branches of experience A delicate shell of rebirth began to emerge Its bark was soft and pale a shadowy reflection of the Aspen’s strength Its leaves were scrawny and stringy barely recognizable to the glory of the elder Aspen’s crown of leaves But through its veins ran the sap, True and pure ageless knowing, rooted and grounded in the earth’s deep essence The aspiration running golden and pure from toe to finger to eyes This frail waif Defenseless, soft, and unfinished Held within it the strength and wisdom of all the Aspen’s years Within its heart the gift of life Within its soul the dreams of eternity Within its veins the aspirations of the gods