tree

the sea, the raft, the harbour and the shore
home of hope

lungs of the earth
a ballet, osmosis, umbilicus, nursling: bless

grand ol’ osprey stage for sopranos
pedestal, pillar for the raven’s caw

clothesline holder
manikin for seasonal gowns

dorm master of night,
shelter for the small, the quick, the flighted

***

silky splinter warble of organic cogitation
fresh powder ermine cloak blankets branches
feathered adornments red yellow blue alight

a young man’s lodgepole spine

a pessimist waiting for the axe to fall
a realist prepared to get the axe

chip cant cull pup slash snag stick shake spar stud spar slab
the faller who loves the tree lies beside it in the gentle grass

***

below a solstice sky and winter wings, trees sleep
stubble on the face of Haeckel hill

field meets spruce meets sky
buttoning sky to earth

snow drive. hawk in the wind. a crossing. solitary trees
the choice of way, for them, simple: skywards

the stately sentinels. the lofty listeners.
the ancient battered ones. the survivors. holding up the sky

a snowy owl hangs out
with an aspen’s last leaf

book stripped of unnecessary words
ancient woman bowing in the wind

without my tree would I reach?
without my tree would I endure?

***

branches scratch their wild words across the winter sky
a silence always on the verge of sound

heart wood beating
a shifting, drifting, whispering echo

here’s what the tree said, try it again
get your cheek in tighter, rub my bark  

I ask the tree what to say—
I listen to our silence

***

church roof blown open
hands in supplication

more like birds than leaves now
in Cathedral, we alter one another

whatever we touch touches us. there is no other
leaf or limb this world is my body walking

Contributors

tree

the sea, the raft, the harbour and the shore — Susan McCaslin
home of hope — Joanne Bealy

lungs of the earth Emily Cooper
a ballet, osmosis, umbilicus, nursling: bless — Heather Cardin

grand ol’ osprey stage for sopranos — Sidney Bending
pedestal, pillar for the raven’s caw — Mary C. Rowin

clothesline holder — Nina Schiavina
manikin for seasonal gowns — Frances Schiavina

dorm master of night — Shelagh Best
shelter for the small, the quick, the flighted — Linda Crosfield

***

silky splinter warble of organic cogitation — Grg Blee
fresh powder ermine cloak blankets branches — Judy Wapp
feathered adornments red yellow blue alight

a young man’s lodgepole spine — Christina Shah

a pessimist waiting for the axe to fall — Fern G.Z. Carr
a realist prepared to get the axe

chip cant cull pup slash snag stick shake spar stud spar slab —Peter Christensen
the faller who loves the tree lies beside it in the gentle grass — Lenore Rowntree

***

below a solstice sky and winter wings, trees sleep — Sandra Lynxleg
stubble on the face of Haeckel hill — kj munro

field meets spruce meets sky — Sandra Ellerbeck
buttoning sky to earth — Kim Goldberg

snow drive. hawk in the wind. a crossing. solitary trees —Dorothee Lang
the choice of way, for them, simple: skywards

the stately sentinels. the lofty listeners. — Candice James
the ancient battered ones. the survivors. holding up the sky — Rosemary Griebel

a snowy owl hangs out — Pat Smekal
with an aspen’s last leaf

book stripped of unnecessary words — Barbara Black
ancient woman bowing in the wind — Robert Martens

without my tree would I reach? — Marvyne Jenoff
without my tree would I endure?

***

branches scratch their wild words across the winter sky — Heidi Greco
a silence always on the verge of sound — Daniela Elza

heart wood beating — Tara Wohlberg
a shifting, drifting, whispering echo — Candice James

here’s what the tree said, try it again — Trevor Carolan
get your cheek in tighter, rub my bark  

I ask the tree what to say—Alan Brown
I listen to our silence

***

church roof blown open Joanne Bealy
hands in supplication

more like birds than leaves now — Heidi Garnett
in Cathedral, we alter one another — Janet Kvammen

whatever we touch touches us. there is no other — Leanne McIntosh
leaf or limb this world is my body walking