Vines In Our Forest
Below the trees
vines deep under
crawl across this shaded floor
reaching for light above the canopy door
Poisonous vines
your glossy leaves allure
beauty promising pain
white berries covered with dew
delicately hanging we do not touch you
Relentless vines entwined with Virginia Creeper
leaves with five fingers holding leaves with three
both hands enshroud our land
growing over the trees, across the yard
clinging to our house, climbing into our bed
Leaves everywhere to read
clambering over our eyes
wedding our poison and love
sprouting hints of how we might grow
Such beauty from our trees
vines lifting towards the sun
graceful ladders carrying dreams
uniting earth and sky
Straining to learn the forest's language
words barely perceptible
vines bearing leaves of poetry
we listen and see
Through the seasons
pages turn from spring to fall
offerings from green to golden
slowly recognizing a few words
from this forest in our mind
Distilling words and colors
treasure linked to the seasons
poems moved by temperatures
gifts from the vines
Gregory Zeorlin 7/09/2001
