aging gracefully

in the Spring

a flower sprouts and blooms
to the colors of Nature’s dress
then sleeps in the Autumn’s nest

the fish jump and spawn,

hummingbirds hum to the tune of
warming days then in the Fall
the fish swim away and the humming
rests for another warm day

but a tree, seemingly, forever keeps

it’s green of leaves, some with
the waft of pine, the crimson
of cherry blossoms or the tears of
weeping willow limbs who splay
upon the azure summer sky

while in autumn its leaves display

their russet dress with golden trim,
in the cold of a snowy Winter’s day
it dresses in a veil of white, giving
a glint of light to a starry night’s array

all seem short-lived but a tree stands

tall and sturdy withstanding angry stormy
rains while in the winter it holds its own
as the blizzard winds blow, stands
strong and steady in its graceful ascent

soulfully standing in observation and care

for the terrestrials who lean on him and his
avian friends who nest on his limbs and he
nurtures the owl, the cicada, the eagle,
the wolf, imparts the wisdom of longevity

like a tree, this once tall towering man no longer

able to walk, we came to see and to hug
his body and wisdom soon to pass onto his other
journey to walk once again hand in hand with his
partner whose new journey arrived a few weeks
earlier, telling him... i will see you soon

a ministry he's preached from a pulpit,

that speaks to a message written in a book he 
cherishes, imparting the wisdom of its words
to the people of his gatherings

like a tree, he stood tall and strong

sometimes swaying to the winds ever changing
directions but standing steadfast on his platform

he preached the wisdom of these words

for many suns and moons of Sundays
in the calm of day and night or thunderous storms
of Spring, in the colors of the Fall, the white of deep
Winter’s snow and its angered blizzard winds

and like a tree, he's observed a flower bloom and

later to lay down to sleep, witness the eagle feed
her eaglets in their nest, a tired wolf now lays down  
to rest upon its rooted feet and listens to whispers
of the wind...a wisdom writ in pages of the universe

upon his shoulder, i lay my hand to let him know,

now the time has come for parting. he looks up
at me from his wheel chair, his hallowed eyes stare
up at me, he says, “you’re telling me goodbye?”
“no, i’m coming back to see you soon” i choke to say
“of course. we’ll see each other soon”, he feigned in
a soft voice while lowering his eyes

she, my wife, his daughter kisses him on his cheek

i take her hand in mine as we slowly walk away
with our tears