Somewhere in the deep forest
with only a slender trail
beyond the reach of roads,
old growth trees stand in silence
as the mountain creek
bears the weight of winter
down the steep walled canyon.
Alone in that quiet
the desire of life
speaks without fault,
gravel bars and thorny brush
keeping her company
as the memory
of who we were
and still are meant to be
rests beneath the silent trees
beside the flowing river.
Beautiful, Don — this feels like a kind of “interim” poem to me, as if another stanza or a completely different poem is coming soon because this one came through. I don’t think I’ve felt that before in your work. Don’t know what to make of that, so I won’t try. Interesting, though!
Thank you, Brother… puts me in mind of a “still meadow”.
The language of the ancient ones always there to remind and inform us of who we are and our place in the tapestry.
The mystery of what I am still meant to be speaks to me through this poem. Thank you.
What I am meant to be will be revealed by Life’s desire if I am patient and silent inside.
Don, this is very descriptive, meditative. Did you ever read the novel “The Time of Man” by Elizabeth Maddox Roberts? You take a deep look into natural surroundings and that reminds me of the book’s poetic prose.
“who we were
and still are meant to be”
with you
i am always present
at rest beneath the silent trees
immersed in the flowing river
db
Ancient memory meets what’s to come. It’s my happy place.
The present in Nature.
Beautiful words! It reminds of scenes I saw recently watching an OPB public TV broadcast of a small team that rappelled down huge waterfalls into an amazing canyon in mountains here in Oregon where it is highly likely no human had ever set foot before because of the degree of difficulty and there being no other possible means of access.
Thank you, Don. Montana mountains train their sons to see as you are seeing. I’m nearly finished reading an autobiography of a Thai monk, who took up that work entirely for meditation into deeper truth…as deep as he can get during a lifetime. He has lived in a simple forest shelter for the past 30 years, with no interest in burdensome religiosity. Now, young monks are pressing to sit with him in the quietude of forest.
Thanks, Don. The wild brings the depth of knowing. All of it, gentle and fierce, forgiving and not. It requests silence and demands resilience, humility, and integrity.
All is well within the depth of nature. It is where I rest and know. Thanks again to my favorite wordsmith!
That’s about it pal.