In recognition of Poetry Month, and to celebrate our treasure trove of Orcas Island poets, Orcas Issues is pleased and honored to offer daily poetry during April.
WHO WILL SPEAK
by Sadie Bailey
Who will speak on behalf of trees
to stay saw’s bite, blade’s slash and sting?
Can the heart hold what the eye sees?
Home to eagles, quetzals, chickadees
chattering to down-fuzzed nestlings –
Who will speak on behalf of trees?
Gifts of plums and almonds, reddened leaves
melting into soil with winter’s wetting –
Can the heart hold what the eye sees?
Sheltering under lush green canopies –
do we thank the Amazon for rain it brings?
Who will speak on behalf of trees?
Frost-kissed leaf skeleton filigrees,
arboreal trilling, squawking, croaking, singing-
Can the heart hold what the eye sees?
Bare-boned stark windswept effigies,
spring blossomed crowns, bee- beckoning;
who will speak on behalf of trees?
Can the heart hold what the eye sees?
Beautiful, Sadie!
Passing Mt. Baker road, seeing the (healthy) huge trees fallen to this project, this really speaks to me. Thanks, Sadie.
Sadie, this is a stunning and necessary poem, thank you.
Wonderful images of some of the sentinels on this earth we live on… especially moving given the disaster seen in Moran, as well as on Mt. Baker road, spoken of above. This poem is a winner, Sadie!