Encore of the Trees

Out to the woods he stumbled alone,

In search of relief from winds that had blown;

The winds that tossed him to and fro,

Knocking him down to the ground below.

He crawled to fight the rampant breeze,

Down on hands and bloodied knees;

He struggled to reach the distant trees

But then his world just seemed to freeze…

He clambered to his feet and gazed around,

From the clouded sky to the clay-covered ground;

Never before had he felt so profound

As he stood in the absence of sound.

He blinks his eyes two times to uphold

The inconceivable sight he beholds;

Not only does his skin shed the cold,

But warmth makes its way to his soul.

 

He sees the skies overhead, dark grey,

And the trees that no longer sway;

His eyes scour for that whelming dismay

That seems to have scampered away.

 

Lifted is the burden so overbearing,

Stripped is the weight that he was wearing,

Gone is the demon that glared, soul-baring,

And now the trees are declaring:

 

“Glorify the Lord on high,

         even under darkened sky.

Glorify the Lord above,

         with your words and with your love.”

And just as the trees had given their words

The wind recommenced to blow and to blur;

The storm continued to toss him as a bird

But the message of the trees was still heard:

“Glorify the Lord on high,

         even under darkened sky.

Glorify the Lord above,

         with your words and with your love.”

No longer was he encumbered by wind

But rather he gallantly marched again,

With head bowed down, to the storm’s chagrin,

He had found his strength within.

He pressed onward, despite the roar,

And against all odds he began to soar,

Leaving behind the dread of before,

He listened for the trees’ encore:

“Glorify the Lord on high,

         even under darkened sky.

Glorify the Lord above,

         with your words and with your love.”

He comes back down from lofted heights

Having seen a glimpse of heavenly lights;

No longer will he fear the shadowy nights

For this is what he recites:

“Glorify the Lord on high,

         even under darkened sky.

Glorify the Lord above,

         with my words and with my love.”