Living Tree Poetry

That could be us.

There is always a place on earth
with a still pool,

a river reflecting the sun,
a place to dwell in safety,

a mountain vale,
a wildflower sanctuary,

a meadow for rest,
a place hemmed in

by natural boundary lines.


That could be us.

When the fire is raging,
when the world has gone to blood

and flames,
and tears that rival all the joy

we’ve felt,
lost in the space

of a moment left
undefended,
 
a season we can’t control.



Then that myth
that we had a say

comes back to us
to stare us in the face,

while outside
everything burns,

and it’s hard to believe
then

in that still place
that carries on

despite us.



But it could be

that there is always a place on earth
with a still pool,

a river reflecting the sun,
a place to lie looking through leaves,

a mountain slope,
a refuge for birdsong,

a stream to refresh,
a place secure,

established.

Ana Lisa de Jong
Living Tree Poetry
August 2020