Treedom
Walking through the orchard
Amongst so many trees
Fruit lay on the ground rotting
The trees had a strange disease
They were lost in their apathy
No longer fruitful anymore
Sheltered in a land of beauty
On the Okanagan shore
The birds sang soft and sadly
A strange poetic song
Flying together in arcs
All they wanted was to belong
In search of warmth and protection
They landed on branches reaching high
A transplanted tree from Jamaica
Majestically framed by the sky
Uprooted from the island
Oh so many years ago
With branches reaching outward
His leaves had a golden glow
I sat beneath his branches
So his story he could tell
Into my outstretched palm
A perfectly formed apple fell
As I bit into the fruit
I could hear his voice so clear
A different kind of listening
I heard him whisper in my ear
"Within my laughter there is magic
Yet I am serious at my core
Let me help you find your wisdom
A wooden key unlocks the door
I have traveled many places
Felt the sand beneath my feet
I have known the joy of victory
Yet I have learned more from defeat
The things I thought so important
Slipped from my clutching hands
As I chased after foolishness
In a world filled with demands
Not connected to my quiet
That silent outcry of my soul
My branches stripped of everything
As I played my worldly role
Once true to myself I found freedom
In a city perched by a lake
Lush branches fully outstretched
I now give instead of take
Not born to be a conquerer
Love is my soulful call
Rooted within my spirit
Available to one and all
I bring you peace from my island
See how less can be so much more
Come have a taste of freedom
Beneath my branches on this shore!
Inspired by and dedicated to Rawle James.
Rawle is the founder of the "Inspired Word Cafe".
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