Photography by John Holliger
  • Home
  • Commercial
  • Nature Photography Store
  • Events
  • Bio and Contact
  • Blog

The Stand of Trees, Safe

8/15/2013

0 Comments

 
PictureA Stand of Trees, Safe






















“The Stand of Trees, Safe”

Entering this stand of trees safe,

Air and breathing,

Spacious for each of the sentient trees.

I rest my hand on each texture,

The barks, the leaves, the lichen.

Pause and move, touch and saunter safe,

Into the un-knownness of this wood safe,

Feeling my way deeper into my own mist, safe.

That first branch of green welcomes me onto the path,

My path, safe,

Beneath the protecting canopy above, safe.

The many hidden mysteries are here, and

I know that when St. Patrick walked 

Through his wood, summoned by the King,

He was surrounded by the forest animals along his way, but to

The king’s men sent to kill Patrick,

The animals appeared as scary, stalwart protectors.

“You don’t mess with these presences!” so off

His killers ran, tossing their weapons as they fled

The field of energy surrounding St. Patrick safe.

So we both are surrounded by presences invisible to us,

But fearfully visible to those who would harm us.

No concealed weapons, Here.  All hastily

Dropped their weapons along the path, a clutter

Of bric-a-brac safe,

Here, to wonder who I am now safe,

Here, to follow the threads generously offered by the hidden presences

Of the forest safe,

Here, safe to stumble safe,

Because Here “stumbling always leads home.”*

                                                                                                       John Holliger

*William Stafford


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    John Holliger

    Welcome to Photography by John Holliger.
    To subscribe to this Blog, click here.

    Categories

    All
    Photography Ideas
    Trees

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    August 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    July 2012

    Notes from the Field
Phone: 740-360-0741                                                           Site Map
Email: johnholliger@columbus.rr.com

Member of the Ohio Moss and Lichen Association