Single tree

Lessons from life

I watch the light move across the land,

Gliding across the fields with ease,

Shades of green shifting constantly,

Darkness and light working together.

 

A single tree simply surviving,

Gracefully accepting all seasons,

Its deep roots keeping it grounded,

Its leaves allowing it to sing its song.

 

I watch its movement in the breeze,

I sense its aliveness,

I feel its stillness,

I understand it's far more than its label.

 

The invisible wind changes direction,

The sun falls behind the clouds,

It becomes colder,

The senses pick this up but the stillness remains.

 

A thought passes through my mind,

A simple question, 

I choose to follow it,

It simply sits in my awareness.

 

What is this stillness?

That does not change with the environment,

That is unaffected by thought,

That senses the sensations.

 

I look back to the tree,

The awareness looks back at myself,

The mirror begins to reflect the same thing,

I thank the tree for its lesson.

 

Reviews

[Bluefire]

"I understand its far more than its label."
Suggestion-> "I understand it's far more than it's label."
It seemed to me about the inspiration of a tree, standing alone and facing everything by itself.
But near the end, with the stillness, it kind of confused me.
What is this stillness, I wonder...
Well done! ^^

[Daniel Dawes]

The stillness is you and the tree at the same time at its base level :) Thanks for the review.

[Bluefire]

Oh, thanks for clearing that up. I was picturing the tree observer in a bus or car driving by and looking at it. ^^

[Claire in VA]

We do need to listen to nature and learn from its lessons.
I enjoyed the read.
I'd consider changing since to sense in stanza 3 line 2.
At least I think that you meant sense, if that makes any sense!
Thank you for sharing.
Claire

[Daniel Dawes]

Hi Claire I've made the changes and you were right about sense....Thanks for your help and reading :)

[m.s.early]

Wonders in nature abound. The acceptance of seasons is a great lesson indeed. To be still and quiet as the changes come and to produce art too often purloined from nature instead of gratifying it.

[Daniel Dawes]

Thanks for your comment :)