Early one spring I saw a tree,A most beautiful maple tree with fresh, green leaves,Smelling sweet and musky like the white shoulders Of a new maiden.
I plucked a leaf and put it in my heart and kept it there For seventeen years, Although I forgot about it for most of that time; Took my leaf for granted, and when I looked at it, finally, It had withered, dried and crumbled.
Astonished, distraught, sad, terrified, I threw my leaf away, And walked back into the forest, which I knew once, But did no more, so changed and strange to me.
My fear seized my soul; I knew I would parish there alone.
Madly I searched for my tree, for another leaf, but she was gone.
Weeping, I wandered the dense wood, not believing I could find Another tree.
But, then I stumbled on a root and fell into sweet, wet grass.
I pushed my face deep into the grass, so cool and fragrant, And felt the root tug at my foot.
I looked up and saw an oak spreading over me, and I saw God.
No leaf would I take from this tree, no branch that could break and fall;
I would take the root. I would love that root and never lose sight Of it, Or neglect it like my leaf As I held my root, loved her and was joyful in her, I became A tree, A sapling first, and from my darling root I gained strength, And I became a fine tree. No oak, not even maple, but sturdy, Confident and able to stand rigors of time and weather; And my root stayed with me and gave me life.
My root died last week, fought hard to stay, but her sweet body Failed.
I am bereft; what will I do without my root, my steadfast hold on Earth;
My raison d’etre; my avatar of God?
But, I know now, if I look carefully at where you stood, I will see the Love of God because you, my root, my anchor, Was all I could see, and I was fulfilled, but now, now, My Love, my Darling, I must see God where you were, Because now you are with God, and I must see the way So, someday, I can find you. Te Adoro, my Sweet.
