Adopt A Tree

*
Legend

There was a desert.

For a vast distance
nothing grew until, quite suddenly,
a great and very large bird
appeared.

The bird spat out a seed
which fell to sand, aching for life.

As it sunk below the surface
where we cannot see what happens,
a cry echoed from sand
to stone, from crevasse to karst,
from cave to fossil, a vibrant cry
of thirst resounded, underground,
where we can’t see what happens.

The cry criss-crossed its own
thirsty rhythm, intersected itself,
grew stronger, more urgent,
more perfectly beautiful —
a dark, brilliant necessity.

The seed stretched and broke,
sang and again sang, and again
sang it’s cry of thirst —

until deep below the surface
a flowing, jubilant,
cool, emerald answer
emerged.

It is said the thirst of Earth’s
great trees calls water
from depths which are invisible
causing springs to flow.

©Susan Bright, 2009

Susan Bright is the author of nineteen books of poetry. She is the editor of Plain View Press which since 1975 has published two-hundred-and-fifty books. Her work as a poet, publisher, activist and educator has taken her all over the United States and abroad. Her most recent book, The Layers of Our Seeing, is a collection of poetry, photographs and essays about peace done in collaboration with photographer Alan Pogue and Middle Eastern journalist, Muna Hamzeh

* Photo by Alan Pogue.

follow me on TwitterAnnouncements:

For up to date information about how you can help Save the Heritage Trees at Barton Springs:
BartonSpringsPublicProcess.com -- please take a minute to send the letters posted there, and/or one/s of your own.

Aielli Unleashed: Listen to Bill Oliver, Danny Britt, Beth Gallager, Marvin Dykhuis sing and play tree and river songs. Susan Bright reads the poem above. Bill Bunch talks about our Heritage Trees at Barton Springs.

Press Conference: Announcing an Adopt-a-Tree program for the heritage trees at Barton Springs. Thursday, 11am to noon, entrance to Barton Springs pool.



SB calling for the tree behind her to be named
the Poets' Tree --
pledging and calling for pledges of other poets to adopt
this beautiful old tree in the name of poetry.
To pledge email: sbpvp@sbcglobal.net


Action: Send a letter asking Council to strengthen, not dilute, City Code to protect Heritage trees. There will be a council briefing June 11, 2-3 pm, City Council Chambers. Bring Signs. Meetings are broadcast on municipal TV cable channel 6 and on 88.7 FM radio, starting at 1:30 p.m.

Barton Springs Heart And Soul -- New video by Brian Leonard



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