Under The Forest Eaves

This forest's trees are murmuring in endless conversation
exchanging news of distant friends and family, I suppose.
Unheard by me, this world-news that every tree here knows
of growth and rise and fall, the fate of vegetable nations.

They silent fall, surround me with some breathless expectation
unmoving now, the flecks of sun on forest floor below.
Can vegetable community a human heart enclose
or forest welcome put an end to fleshly isolation?

I held my breath. The trees and I stood still, anticipating
and on my lips and in my heart there silent rang a Name.
And in the stillness of the trees-- I thought I heard the same.

No tree can speak in human tongue, nor human understand them,
but Who we humans answer to is also Who commands them.
--And so I learned one day when I with trees stood breathless waiting.