Dan Williams

One Side of Still

All of the straight trees stood looking

as trees will

since before time ran so slowly

off to one side of still.

I guess I knew they would protect me

from the Sun’s questioning

and the river that had arrived there

by dead reckoning.

And the branches took my hands,

and the water thinned my fear;

there is a small sturdy safety

I find sitting here.

One, close by, was badly angled

with disregard for gravity,

yet was still willing to listen

to the silence from me.