Trees Trees Trees
Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees
I often ponder on what it would be like to exist as another living thing.
I must admit to being fascinated in and in awe of trees. They are
magnificent and diverse in their architectural splendour. Skeletal and
naked - except for evergreens of course - in winter and lush and green
in summer. In summer I can lie beneath their lush green canopy and
observe their ever changing form as they rustle and chatter when
caressed by a breeze.
If this life of ours is just a temporary experience of an eternity of
experiences and we are indeed reincarnated - I would like to come back
as a tree. I do wonder if they are sentient and that we are just too damned
arrogant to accept this as there is not an observable brain. If I return as
a tree I will endeavour to make contact with humans if I should discover
that I am sentient. If not, I will have made a big mistake - but of course I
will be totally unaware of it!
Ode to a tree.
In winter
as I lie warm in my bed,
you stand outside my window.
A stark silhouette,
naked and cold,
and as the north winds
make you shiver,
you tap, tap on my window
as if in entreaty,
but I won't let you in!
When I wake in the morning
you are iced in a half blanket of snow
and look magnificent.
In spring you stand in the dirty world
in which new life begins.
Your many arms are outstretched
as you emerge from your winter torment,
and you breathe in the richness
and begin to bud.
Two wood pigeons
that utilise you as a home
move back,
and remembering their favourite branch -
roost there, preening and cooing.
Come summer your lush
green canopy shades the world beneath you.
You are a welcome shelter for a myriad
of insects and birds claim you as territory.
I lie under your protection for hours on end,
in awe of your greenery
and watch your ever changing shape
as a breeze says "Hello!"
Nature is wonderful although I
accept cruelty is part of it.
But you are not cruel.
A carbon sequester and oxygen giver.
Come autumn you are seasonally affected
and in your sadness
you begin to fade and shed your now
brown and gold coat.
If the wind is quiet your leaves
drift aimlessly to the good earth below.
If angry, your leaves fly in the wind before
landing and scurry along the ground
as if in some frantic race.
Soon you will be tap, tapping on my window,
but I won't let you in!
Thadeus the thoughtful.
8 comments:
A tree has a root equal to double that of her crown. They are so deeply rooted, The reason why they are so majestic, especially when they rustle and bustle but still hold firm to their ground in all moods, forms and colours. As you said, this is why you like them. But if you want to come back to life as a tree, it's best if you content yourself with the notion that that you'd just be standing there eternally while being of benefit to those around you, and find fullfilment 'now' in being swayed by the winds and changing colour periodically forever. But, from now, you know that you will be unaware because you will not given any feelings. This in itself is a good satisfactory existance for a tree - and a good purpose for any person, ie sentient, who wants to become a tree.
But I'd truly hate to see anyone being reborn as a tree AND sentient! Can you begin to see what a predicament that would be? ... and the torment? ... all this hustle and bustle and changing form and colour, but still you can't and you won't break free! Eternally! Because you are not allowed, the reason why you are so deeply rooted!... and, screaming, you knock on people's windows ... but they won't let you in!
Which would be the 'big mistake' then? Your choice! ... or you can become a humming bird living on that tree for a little while instead ...
Thank you for your thoughtful commment, Thoughtful!
'Tis true that life as a sentient tree would, perhaps, be very tedious. I think that you are correct in that, if an ardent tree lover such as myself refuses a shivering tree entry in winter - life as a tree would definetly have a downside! That said, I did learn semaphore many moons ago and could frantically wave out an entreaty - but would the observer be viewing the correct branches? Indeed, would they understand semaphore?!
After much thought, I bow to your opinion that perhaps being a tree is not a good plan if I am to be reincarnated. I would probably be standing there, deeply rooted in the ground, musing on what it would be like to be human!
On second thoughts - I wish to be reincarnated as a weed, as they are damned aggressive and won't give up without a fight! Not that I am aggressive at all.....! I would still be green!
Thadeus:)
Every living thing is agressive otherwise they wouldn't have survived. So, it is ok, even vital, to be agressive in that way, otherwise life would wither and go to waste - remember Darwin?
.. and 'weed'? So you're deviating away from your original purpose for wanting to be a tree? What is the point of the excercise now then ... what's your new raison d'etre now? 'Not giving up without a fight'? ... that sounds fine to me, very plausible too. But you already do that as a human and if it is becoming green you're after, how about becoming an 'Incredible hulk'? The agressive 'human' but right doer with the biggest heart, who turns green at the sight of injustice ... eh?
This coversation could have gone on to discuss the wisdom of creation itself ... but let's just have a cop out! ... whatever that means .... :-)
Your frank comments are well deserved and much appreciated Thoughtful. A temporary dislodgement of my thinking cap and a mistaken belief that an (almost) immediate response was an expectation, led to a shallow and meaningless response.
However, lesson learned; thinking cap firmly back in place; and I will endeavour to defer future responses until my thoughts run freely and are not distracted by other matters.
Justly reprimanded, I will happily converse on all things pertaining to this wonderful universe in which we exist; in particularly 'this goodly frame the Earth' and the wonder and wisdom of all things created on it.
I must advise that I am nowhere near a scientist, merely an observer of all around me. I am amazed at all forms of life - both flora and fauna. I am aware that although nature appears beautiful, it is a battleground for the survival of the fittest. Darwin sits proudly on my bookshelves and through him; one of my dreams is to visit the Galapagos Islands. I doubt I will realise this.
But never mind, I am content to survey all that is around me. Every living thing excites my mind and I gaze in awe and think 'I wonder what it is like to be a ....' This may be a bee, a bird or a blade of grass. I would like to experience almost every life form - just to know!
As you realise, my first hoped for experience would be that of a tree! I adore them, especially when bedecked in foliage. The nearest thing to Heaven on Earth is to lie beneath a tree while listenting to Holst's 'The Planet Suite,' Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons,' Pavarottis's rendition of 'Che Gelida Manini' or Aled Jones's 'Where E'er You Walk.' Truly Heaven!
Perhaps you are right. Would I be content as a sentient tree? We are assuming I would have the thought process of a human. But would I? My life on this earth as a mere mortal is flying by much too quickly! Would my life as a sentient tree appear just as short?
Thadeus.
In winter
as you lie warm in your bed,
I stand outside your window.
I, to you, a stark silhouette,
When I am naked and cold,
and as the north winds
make me shiver,
I tap, tap on your window
plead and pray,
but you won't let me in!
When you wake in the morning
I am iced in a half blanket of snow
and you look magnificent and warm.
In spring I stand in the dirty world
in which new life begins.
My many arms are outstretched
as I emerge from my winter torment,
and to you, I look as if,
I breathe in the richness
and begin to bud.
And the two wood pigeons
that utilise me as a home
They too oblivious to my birthing pains,
move back,
and remembering their favourite branch -
roost there, preeing and cooing,
Come summer my heavy
green canopy shades the world beneath me.
I am a reluctant shelter for a myriad
of insects and birds claiming me as territory.
You lie under my protection for hours on end,
in awe of my greenery
and watch my ever changing shape
Silent, you never say "Hello"
Nature is cruel although you
accept beauty is part of it.
But I am not beautiful.
A carbon sequester and oxygen giver.
Come autumn I am seasonally affected
and in my sadness
I begin to fade and shed my now
brown and drying coat.
If the wind is quiet my leaves
drift aimlessly to the wet earth below.
Angry, my leaves fly in the wind before
landing and scurry along the ground
as if in some frantic race.
Soon I will be tap, tapping on you window,
but you won't let me in!
Even though I am your sentient tree!
But you are unaware,
That whatever you may wish,
Will happen to me!
See Thadeus, we're all part of the 'one' nature, and she decides what's to be and what's not to be - and the moral is 'take me as I take you', or 'take me just as I am'! So, it's OK to wish to be a tree, but not to also want this tree to feel, because it just won't work.
... and this way, you can keep your dream, where miracles can and do happen
Can you now answer your own questions? :)
Hello Thoughtful!
Thanks for becoming my 'sentient' tree and recomposing my ode from your perspective.
Mother Nature equipped you well to endure the ravages of the seasons; you survived without pain until I wished feelings upon you. Now you dread the torment that each season brings.
In winter, revaged by the extremes of weather, you become cloaked in hard, cold snow and shiver; wishing that somehow you still wore your summer foliage - as it might offer you some warmth and protection. Although I gaze at you in awe from the warmth of my bed, you are very much alone. I fail to realise your pain and see only your stark beauty.
In spring, I see the birth of new life that burst as buds through your skin. I fail to apppreciate that this is a time of discomfort for you. Those that utilise you as a home begin to move back and become an unrelenting irritant.
In summer, you truly look magnificent and I do say "Hello!" You are majestic in your lush, green crown; offering (reluctant) shelter to all that live on you and beneath you. This myriad of insect and bird life irritate you, feed on your fruit, burrow into your skin and remain forever ungrateful. As summer draws to a close, they begin to abandon you; leaving you alone to cope with the coming autumn.
This is a sad time for you as you know what is to come. You become depressed as you shed your leaves and become naked again.
You want to escape - but deeply rooted, you cannot! Your strength has become your weakness and you hate me!
.................
On reflection, I would not like to be a sentient tree!
However, if I am reincarnated as a (non-sentient) tree, I know (now) that I wiil be, at times during the year, the centre of the universe for many life forms. When abandoned, I will remain steadfast in my ground, untroubled by whatever the season throws at me.
I also know that if mankind finally destroys himself, the odds are that I will live on; for I do not need man to survive - but man needs me!
Thanks Thoughtful! :)
No, I don't hate 'you', you wished me sentient so I became aware that I am stuck and so much wanted to break free but I couldn't, I didn't even hear you say 'Hello'! I hate my imprisonment which I wouldn't know existed had you not wished me sentient, but you did and it happened. But I thank you now for changing your mind and accepting me as I am ... the giver of love, who gives without conditions, to the point she is not even aware she is giving - or that she even exists! The epitome of love ...
... so, as I go back to my blissful non-sentient state, goodbye my friend - I won't know it anymore but please continue to enjoy me and your dream of being me :-)
Thank you Thoughful!
I will miss our discourse! Please visit again!
Thadeus
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