Living Tree Poetry

Today I can hear your ‘thank you’,

as a great resounding chorus on the breeze.

To bring me to my own knees

aware of everything I’m blessed by.

And I wonder if you can hear my response,

or the earth even.

I think I can hear the earth’s small intake

of breath, of release – of relief.

There being so much loss and death.

So much returning to dust, that the

earth needs our thanks for the

task of its receiving.

It hurts with us, and we,

with our gratitude,

take up our fork turning compost,

these ashes of our days,

that they might break down

to something good.

Something too, that future generations

might call themselves blessed.

For what is thank you for,

the light, the dark.

These elements to build the soil upon

which our children walk.

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

all of it grace.

Ana Lisa de Jong
Living Tree Poetry
November 2020