You say I've spent my lifetime standing still
I have not even seen what lies beyond the hill.
You feel sadness for my lonesome solitude
and think all happenings to me allude.

‘Tis true I've stood upon this ground
and viewed the world that me surrounds.
But I have lived a hundred years.
I've heard man's laughter and felt his tears.

I grew in height and width and strength.
My roots stretched out to their full length.
The sun brings warmth unto the earth.
The rain flows down to quench my thirst.

My branches danced upon the wind.
My limbs spread wide for climbing in.
The children come to play with me.
They see much more beyond the tree.

Their secrets often with me share.
They treat me with respect and care.
I've known of love, it's in their eyes.
They never hide behind disguise.

The land around me lives and breaths.
I've seen lost souls upon the breeze.
They wander through the darkened nights,
when children sleep safe from the fright.

With sorrow's moans and painful cries,
love and warmth to them denied.
If they'd but ask, with them I'd share.
But they look at if I'm not there.

They wear their mask to self-protect,
in fear that others will detect
all the faults of humanness
and for that they will love them less.

To them the openness of youth
has been replaced with falsened truth.
Blinded by their own closed doors,
deemed to venture out no more.

So tell me now sir, if you can...
who is more blind upon this land...
The souls so lost they can not see
or this old soul who is but a tree?
Linda2001©

My soul weeps for all the sadness that I see
from lonely passers-by of this old tree.

People go by and see me not...
they are so engrossed in their own thought.

If they but knew the knowledge I've gained
and mate their soul with mine.
They'd know the promise of release
and grow happier in time.
Herman (Linda2001's husband)©

My leaves bend lower than usual to the late summer breezes.
The grass grows weak from the litter of careless souls.
The roots of me grow saddened
as the forest pays the toll.
Heather (Linda2001's daughter - 8 years old)©

Silent sentinal,
Eternal gatekeeper.
Guarding the passage
...to a forgotten world.
Wood nymphs, sprites and faeries,
Dancing in the sunlight,
Playing in the shadows
...cast by his boughs.
The ancient willow,
Protecting their secrets,
Within the forest primeval
...ever vigilent and wise.
Kindred Spirit©

Weeping willow of the ages 
Leaves pressed between journal pages
Bark steeped as soothing tea
Easing pain, left headache free
Long green tresses sweep the ground
Knobby roots the moss has found
Massive branches held up high
Reaching for a sunfilled sky
Roots dig deep in search of water
Keeps leaves green for cattle fodder
Picnics underneath the shade
Where public eyes cannot invade
Weeping willow of the glen
Brings one peace now and then
emmarie©

A tree does sit on a riverbank
In quiet contemplation,
Of all it's seen and events gone by,
Of love's and life's sensations
Its roots are deep, the branches strong,
Though gnarled with times' wearing;
But, it is strong with inner strength
And the love of Natures' caring.
A quiet place to sit and rest
And watch the river flow,
Within the shade its leaves provide
As zephyrs gently blow
I often sit beneath that tree
And feel the life within.
A universal peace doth cleanse
My soul, my past and sins.
Our love is like that ancient tree,
So strong and full of life;
And passing time does but strengthen
My Soul's joining with my wife
And with our son, a new tree formed
To weather ALL life's storms
Our love, the roots; Our souls, the trunk,
Our Joys "The Whole" doth form.
Pipedreams©

You ask me who I am.
You claim you want to know my heart,
My thoughts, my dreams.
Look closely then, into my eyes, mirrors of the soul,
Into the heart of a man.

Do you see a tree,
An oak, strong and virile,
A safe harbor or merely,
A port in one of life's storms.

Or do you see a willow,
Weak in some regard but,
Strong enough to bend?

You believe yourself to be some force of nature.
Do not deceive yourself.
I have weathered storms far worse.
Withstanding winter's icy chill,
And the parching summer sun.
Yet I still stand.
Ready to face another day.

For I know, if I am patient,
I will stand the test of time and season.
And welcome the warm kiss of a gentle spring rain.
And feel the cool autumnal breezes of a temperate Indian Summer.
Trev25©

The magic of the forest
Surrounds the majestic old willow
Wisdom and peace
Shift in the cool breeze
The water gently feeds
The enormous willow quenching her thirst
Many a season has
Passed by the wise one
If only she could awaken and tell her story
Sing her praises
Those who sit by her side leave refreshed and calm
Having a new sense of purpose in their soul
If you listen, really listen
You can hear her speak
Open your soul for
Today she sings for you..........
Lady_Valor©

I walk through this lonely forest,
happening upon a magnificence,
like none other I've seen,
its size takes my breath away.

I begin to study of its age,
wondering how long its been here,
also through the years,
what have you seen?

Lovers throughout the years,
seeking refuge amongst your branches,
children climbing through your limbs,
frolicking, enjoying, having fun.

If you could talk,
what stories you could tell us,
of days gone by,
secrets of stolen kisses,
of the so many beautiful seasons,
that have passed through your limbs,
the wildlife that have made there home within you.

Such beauty in you I see,
so much life and history,
I study you further,
to find an inner beauty,
that has come with your years upon this earth.

I reach out my hands to touch you,
feeling of your life force, embracing it.
I then walk on, smiling,
of learning of a piece of history.
Poetress_Lisa©

Floating are we, in a waterless sea
a stone tossed, into the center of it all
upon our still waters, we still ripple outward
just mere grains of sand, inside this islands hourglass
...each of us will pass

A prayer is given from a single grain of sand
reliving in the suns gift of life
paying ones respect to its Creator
to the bounty of life ,He has created

Green sweeping waves oh open fields
blown by a warming spring wind
a soothing comfort of wave upon wave
watching each one gently wash ashore
...against a forest floor

Standing in reverence upon this granite rock
upon ancient soil, the froth of violent eruptions
heaved upwards, from the depths of salted seas
with refreshing spring waters, He cools this earth

One can only stand silent amongst this splendor
standing in awe, against the mightiest of woods
to fall to ones knees, by the scent of a delicate flower
a wild orchid, He created as a garnish,
... for a young maidens raven hair

I seem to vanquish any thoughts of my importance
now knowing, no living thing is less reverent of Him
no one man is stationed above another ,to judge
this is of only one to be, to hold to be His own

From this one grain of sand, I share
a mere few thoughts, I share with thee
echoing thoughts very seldom expressed, as I look to rest
to rest forever under Your willow tree
...for on day I shall never be.
Holderof©

Weeping eternally...
she wandered ,aimless in zombie trance
through brush and field
a dizzying search to find the place
sacred , distant and alone it is hers.
Yonder, through deepening forest lay a valley
brilliant rays of newly formed sun beams
glided through the whisky clouded sky
She knelt ..passion drawn, breath stilled
tears fallen with hot blazing anger thrusts.

This will lay as testimony,
small and feeble, a delicate sprig
as were my children.
Her words became inaudible
grumbled throaty gurgles pulsated, engulfing her.
When first spotted it was an unusual weed
laying side-ways with streamers for branches
and a muddied puddle for a base.
But she saw what no one else did
choosing this to be her sacred spot.
Carefully a circle of onyx rocks were embedded into the
fresh earth
Tear drops, came free falling as
she patted the fresh grave.
Whispers escape her quivering mouth.
"At last , this is your resting place. Not even the
boundaries of death can keep me from loving you."
Her soul weeps as grief overtakes her
and her tears nourish the the tiny seedling.
Years pass on , as does the mother

Time passed and the living monument grew strong
an ageless marker, wreathed at the base with tiny black pebbles.
Alone it towered over
It's limbs, thickened
heavy with age.
Sweeping, swaying to the rhythm
of the eastern wind.
majestic in it's simplistic, natural splendor
Yet, it's limbs
hang low, toppling one another
towards the earthen soil
caressing the grave
and weeping for the passing of lives.
Forever holding the name of the Weeping Willow.
lillyofthevalley©

Gather around the old tree
And I will tell you of his story
Come, come now don't be shy
There is no reason to fear this old guy
His beauty may be long gone
But his roots still remain strong
He has been through more than you or I
Yet we are willing to let him die
This tree holds a legend all of its own
Not just the usual dogs burying bones
So come learn a lesson from this old tree
As I tell you its story

You see this spot right back here?
That's where Johnny carved "Sue, I love you dear"
And this home-made cave
That's where all the animals come to play
The branches you see turned toward the sun
That is the tree reaching out for his youthful fun
When a worry never crossed its now weary mind
And nurturing was never hard to find
Then there is this black mark
When lightening hit in the old park
Withstanding the force and saving lives
Still the tree kept its humble pride

Then of course we can not forget little Gwen Hathaway
She would sit under the tree for hours every day
Giving her just the peace she craved
Even when she turned old and gray
As the years passed on
Flowers, people, and animals came but soon were gone
But this tree, it still stands
Reaching out to each of them with loving hands
Forever keeping the secrets it has been told
Even when the conversation has gotten cold
Watching the children come and play
Sheltering them on those rainy days

There is a hole somewhere around here
Ah, there it is, the first cause for fear
Two kids drunk as could be
Couldn't see the worth of this old tree
They thought now wouldn't it be fun
If we shot this tree here with our brand new gun?
This was the first but by far not the last
After that the tree starting to age so fast
And today the roots barely reach the water
Now, I know this tree could live forever
If it just had what it needed to survive
The love and caring that kept it alive

These things now seem rare and few
But there is something we can do
After hearing the story
Of this beautiful tree
I couldn't ever let it die
I hope you all now see why
It holds pieces of history
Every mark has its own meaning
This tree is mine and it is yours
It has showed so many the open doors
I hope that it was worth your while
To listen and maybe together we will bring back its smile
Epic Myst©

Rooted firmly in the soil of the Earth
Solid in structure, wide in girth
Holding history within its massive size
Storing more knowledge than we realize
Rings to count the years gone by
As its branches reach out towards the sky
A living chronicle of the past
Its records numerous and vast
If you look closely you may even see
The face of the spirit inside the tree
Shadow Whysper©

Leaf and limb do I forever bind to thee
Bark and root confine you to the ground as a tree
These were the words to the witch's spell
The words that made my life a living hell
A lad was I when upon the witch I did stumble
A clumsy boy who did make her trip then tumble
And in her fury from her hands she let lightning bolts fly
So I could not avoid her curse and spell though I did try
A flash of light with waves of heat and a spark of pain
Then only her laughter as she walked on down the lane
It was true my feet were stuck as if rooted to the ground
I was changing into a tree and there was no help to be found
Too quick the change for me to even call out it seemed
Trapped forever with the panic on my face as I screamed
Year after year the seasons have come as life passed by
Till in the forest the oldest knurled and twisted tree am I
Bear1Mage©
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