THE TREE
Stripped limbs and weathered trunk
Standing in defiance of time’s toll
Striking a majestic pose against the sky
And somehow reaching into my soul
Leafless it declares its current state
The scars revealing storms survived
Still refusing to yield and prostrate
What the wind, winter, and sun derived
Whispers in the breeze constantly declare
The unspoken language of dying bark
Bringing moisture to the eyes that stare
Seeing a message of hope in the dark
Living and breathing life to the very full
Squeezing it from joy as well as diversity
Wringing it all out with the push and pull
Making the most of every opportunity
Standing triumphantly in the fading sun
Pointing skyward with head held high
The symbol of a life lived well done
So that even in dying it does not die