Storms Rage

Strong winds blowing from the south
Bearing cool air through bare branches
Leaves long gone as trees adapt
Letting go, gathering life force within
Are they concerned with how they look?
Brown and barren, wrinkled skin and bones
Still strong they withstand the onslaught
Veins full, pumping nourishment into the core
Waiting the season out as cycles play on
When the rains begin they will triumph
Green shoots will once again adorn
Life once again surge into leaves and flowers
Ah, beautiful! We will say
Yet what of the brown maze of branches
Still flexible and connected to the roots?
Our judgments flawed by appearances
Condemn what we don’t understand
Blind to what we cannot see
Is this not true today in our divided world?
Where has freedom gone, what does it mean?
All sides move about as robots following leaders
Does the mighty oak condemn the supple pine?
Or is it jealous of the pine’s green needles in winter?
Connected to the Earth they stand together
Supporting each other through an unseen network
Our biosphere of unimaginable diversity
Essential for vitality and well-being
Have we become so disconnected?
Have we forgotten the roots that connect us?
In our flight for shelter and safety
We are splitting apart
With no anchor to hold us together
Storms rage, scattering some and imprisoning others
Systems coopted by fear and greed
Our humanity remains in between cracks
Where innocent shoots push through hard earth
Listen closely to your inner voices
What is sprouting within you?
Listen closely to your heart
What is seeking the light?