Tall Oaks

I just love trees, and this poem reminds me of my father, who is actually short. :)

Tall Oaks

To be or not to be, may never have been the right question;

While death may yet be the greatest of possible blessings!

Surveyed from within life, the universe, and everything!

Within the ultimate context, of the One Greater Truth,

Life and death, yet remaining one and the same thing;

That which lends, anything and everything meaning!

That which gives everything, purpose and direction!

Silently laughter echoes, endlessly within the void,

While the shadows playfully chase the rising sun,

Playing tag with everything they might yet find;

Gentlest laughter, of the naive child within me!

The one dreaming of bigger and greater things!

The one who believes, the sky is never a limit.

The one who often confuses work with play!

Inevitably triumphing over all its problems.

Forever rising, to each and every challenge!

Ever charming diligence and perseverance!

The hero of every Ugly Duckling's dream!

Saving every one, of the Ugly Ducklings.

While, elevating the lowliest among us!

Seldom seeking credit for their actions!

Humbly accepting any commendation,

Ensuring any good guys, always win!

Still lost within the memory of God,

The gentle laughter of the smallest,

And, most vulnerable amongst us,

Tall oaks spring from tiny acorns!

Cartoons are their authentic heartfelt expressions,

Being they are all synonymous with distractions!

Coyote, cannot really hope to catch road runner!

Bugs can never die until you turn the TV off,

Squirrels, running up and down tree trunks!

Running in circles screaming and shouting!

Including obligatory playful obfuscations!

Shouting out their demands, to the world!

Trying their personal best to look serious.

Gaudy fireworks blue smoke and mirrors!

Accompanying resolute gnashing of teeth!

Each trying to look their personal fiercest!

Each grinning trying to look intimidating!

Each laughing, trying to sound frightening!

Great agitated waving, of hands in thin air,

Whilst, bouncing off any walls and surfaces!

Clambering over anything inside arm's reach,

Tunneling underneath, anything loose enough!

Jumping all about, as if mounted upon springs!

Frantic waving of arms, as if birds that can fly!

Shouting commands at the walls and each other!

Where the wild things are there should be a place!

Where only the things you want to happen, happen!

Not to mention, the more they might distract you,

Starting everyone off, asking the wrong questions,

The less they'll have to worry about your answers.

Confident, you are again unwittingly preoccupied!

Wasting your time inanely chasing your own tail!

Meanwhile the smallest of all the crawling babes:

Still somehow knows somehow without knowing!

The pot of gold, at the end of everyone's rainbows!

Is no mere ordinary classic earthly golden treasure,

But, the most fabulous, of all conceivable blessings.

The priceless pearl, beyond any and all imagination.

The gift of grace which just never, ever, stops giving!

The gift, that can take a licking, and keeps on giving!

Delightfully overwhelmed at last upon rediscovering,

Sparkling rainbows, still follow everyone everywhere!

Rainbow Warriors follow sparkling rainbows as well!

Reminding many to seek out their own right questions,

As well as attempting to discover any of their answers,

As well as to listen, to what another might have to say.

Sometimes just to know what it is that we might desire,

We must first remind ourselves what remains all wrong!

Kids everywhere all watching cartoons, and questioning!

Wondering why many things, look both right and wrong,

Why so many things, can appear attractive and repulsive,

When displayed in all the beautiful colors of the rainbow!

Constantly transforming, into something totally different;

Riotous cacophony of different sounds and colors merging!

Sparkling, and otherwise getting so much of our attention;

Encouraging anyone, to just keep laughing about anything!

Whilst as humbly as he could manage Socrates pointed out,

There's no such thing as a perfectly right or wrong question,

There are no good or bad cartoons, or colors of the rainbow!

No such thing, as any questions and answers being superior.

Merely those amongst us of more or less questionable virtue.

When we may no longer identify, we have identified nothing!

We can be certain we have our own internal cartoon bullshit!

Know for thyself, that wonder is the beginning of all wisdom!

The eternal fountain spring, from which all virtues issue forth!

Therefore appreciate and embrace, the gentle toddler within all!

Its foibles, peculiarities, as well as, numerous delightful charms!

Granting enduring everlasting light and life upon all good things!

Silent perfection in motion, between the notes of our song!

Thus in wonderment becoming as beautiful outside as in!

Knowing in the moment what none manage to remember,

The tall white oak must first emerge from the tender seed.

Sprouting vulnerable, in most desperate need of nurturing,

All things great and small yet reaching up from the ground.

Stretching as high as they can, for the sun's nourishing light,

Aiming high reaching for the light of the sun, moon, and stars,

While digging any roots in ever deeper in the opposite direction!

Imploring the appointed light filtering down through the canopy,

Seeking the eternally majestic dazzling and blinding Greater Truth!

By simply following the light one day the acorn becomes the tall oak!

By never giving up for a moment, keeping its eyes, always on the prize!

The mighty oak contentedly surveying the bounty of life on the horizon!

Standing out, standing tall, freely offering its branches to those in need!

Straining its back against the wind to support yet again heavier loads!

Blocking the worst of the storms from devastating the forest wildlife!

Digging all of its roots in ever deeper to ensure it has a firm footing!

Providing the most formidable, of all lighthouse beacons of hope!

In gratitude and service the humble render shelter from the storm!

Saving countless others from the all too often crushing rocks below!

Eagerly raising up the meanest, lowliest, and most destitute among us!

Inspiring numerous virtuous cycles and circles of boundless reciprocity,

As the great forest and the mighty oaks become one and the same.

All standing upon the broad shoulders of countless unknown giants,

All supported by the same loving mother who has made it all possible!

Simply by following the light, each foreordained and destined to become!

Once again, in and of their own rite even greater giants of every wilderness!

While each attentive to the silent pauses between the notes of their own music!

The panorama of life spread out before me testifying to mama nature's generosity,

To her undying love and overwhelming desire to see all her children thriving.

To her desire to spread papa's shining light of the Truth to the universe,

Papa's light of the Truth has never failed to shine upon all his children!

The light of One Truth, still penetrating everywhere beneath the canopy!

The spectacular milky way spanning the entire great wide open overhead,

The soft moonlight gently awakening some while sending others off to bed.

The sweet soft rains returning forever, bringing new life to the whole world,

And, the magnificent untapped wealth of water, rocks, and good earth below.

All providing us with endless comforts and inspiration, filling our endless needs;

Since the birth in the time before time, of the beginning of any and all known time,

Of the most virtuous ancient child of the great valley below who planted the first acorn.

(Maurice Sendic)