On the other side is serenity.
I am a tree, growing by rings of the year,
losing a branch or twig now and then,
being bent and creaked by the wind.
But inside, deeply under scratchy bark,
my sap flows silently in the dark
to every twig and leaf, flower and fruit.
It takes time to find serenity’s root.
Time to stretch through the growing pains.
Time to feel the sun’s warmth.
Until I stand so tall and broad and still,
that wind can barely rustle my leaves.
and sap flows slowly from root to tip.
Rain drips quietly, one drop, two drops,
down through the leafy canopy.
Serenity inside, serenity outside.
A silent shelter for all who come
seeking respite from the storm of life.
Serenity nurtured over time.
Touch the roughness of the bark
that protects the sweet rivers of life within.
Feel the heart of me, the tree, beating.
On this side is serenity.
You can listen to this poem at my YouTube channel.