The Juniper Tree

At the midnight hour all the windows opened, 

Without an explanation. 

Children peered over the night while their parents slept without a sound. 

The wind carried a whisper with it,

 and the starlight cast a spell. 

“come with us to the juniper tree, run through the fields and valleys,

 without a care we’ll sing farewell and sail off with the sunrise.” 

The lilting voice of open air entranced a generation, 

and in that moment millions 

of little feet came running.

 Singing, prancing, 

jumping, dancing, 

down to the juniper tree,

 they waved goodbye and raced like thieves away from those that loved them. 

When they left, the clouds brought rain 

to try to fill their place, 

their parents cried and searched the world 

but couldn’t find a trace.

 Beyond the stars a whisper shouted “we’ll be back some day.” 

but tiny little footsteps knew things would never be the same. 

Days slipped by and so did years, without a word or sound,

The parents called and wrote and waited.

Lines crept across their faces.

Cities dimmed and traffic slowed the life had all but left them.

Until one sunrise brought them back,

Much older than before.

Hardened by the world around them

Lines etched upon their faces.

They walked the hill by the juniper tree

Locked in warm embraces.

 

Author's Note

Just any thoughts you have at all.

Reviews

[LJW]

A children's book with beautiful illustrations.
Would work nicely....

So greatly poetic, and full of mysterious bliss this lullaby is. You have a way with words, and it just read like it could be spoken out loud, as a story, but then with such that awesome cadence to it.

Thank you for sharing this pearl of beauty.
Write on!

- Elisa