CHOOSE LIFE (1)

Like AJ Casson’s White Pine 1957,
bend and blow,
groan and grow
with the wind.

     Always the wind,  
     the northwest wind,
     always the wind …

              blustering with wintry ice-pellet gales
              gusting over the foam-spitting sunlit white-caps 
              (as Vs of geese honk north)
              sighing at the so sweet summer sunsets 
              embracing relentlessly the crisp-blue frosty skies 
              (as Vs of geese honk south)

     … sometimes, even,
     still as still. 

     But trustworthy and true, 
     the wind’s still there waiting, 
     just waiting, wanting to whisk 
     up, over, and around 
     Its beloved stunted stalwart tree
     once again.

Like AJ Casson’s White Pine 1957
stay strong, sing
hang on, cling 
to the shallow soil pockets 
on the lichen-encrusted rock remnant 
of the once snow-capped mountain range of eons past. 

As the wind blows by, 
always,
choose life. 

Lenten 2022 Meditation series on “Choose Life,” Inspired by Deutueronmy 30:19, Moses speaking:  “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Choose life….”