Bones of a Tree

 Listen to the leaves rattle,
the bones of a tree
blessed with so much strength

so vibrant
even the decay of fall
can't detract from the beauty
of bark and branches.

Don't be afraid of acorns
and on cold days
rest your body near that roughness
of the great spread of wings
and breathe
until you feel the spirit shutter
with the life of earth

mined from the soil
and plucked
from the sky

like love or sadness,
so close to God ,
so sweetly given
at the end
of a barren
and broken day.