“Hands Down, said the tree”

“Hands Down,” said the Tree, Part 1

Was I awake or sleeping?

In the forest so familiar

Surely, I had been here before

Just as surely, I had not been here before.

The earth pristine embraced me

Untouched by greedy human hands

Even in the beauty, my heart ached

How long before we destroy it all?

I placed my hand on a nearby tree to steady from the fear

‘Hands Down,’ I heard. Was I dreaming?

‘See– Hands Down,’ I heard and looked at the imprint

Upon my palm, and felt within my heart.

Hands down, heel down- no accepting the unacceptable

Voice Out and Hope Up. I stand for you. You stand for me.

“Hands Down,” said the Tree, Part 2

I find myself in the forest once again

Heading straight to the speaking tree

Palm outstretched, hoping for words of wisdom

‘Hands Down,’ I once again hear

‘Way Down.’ I follow all instructions

Resting one hand on root, the other on earth.

In the silence, in the peace

Worry still rises up

‘What will happen to you? To me?’ I ask.

‘We are all changing, yes? Leaping forward into change

Leap here, into me, into the softened earth

Here it begins.’

‘No more separation. Separate no more.

From this connection–live. And so, the healing begins.’

“Hands Down,” said the Tree, Part 3

‘Hands Down’ said the Tree as I arrived once again

My back against his bark, hands touching earth

‘Hands Down, Hands Down. What are you Handing Down?’

With your new inner root, what do you wish to branch out?

With his words, a vision emerged

A Way: to live, to be, to act, to speak

Inside, merging the personal with earth

Outside, merging with the collective

Here sprouts out all the ‘difference I can make’

Myself as Tree, my legacy for earth, for All.