"The trees are God's great alphabet:..."

"...With them He writes in shining green
Across the world His thoughts serene."
-Leonora Speyer

August 7, 2001

Giants

I walk among Giants.

I tread across their toes,

Like a spider across my toes,

Yet they flinch not.

As I walk with head down,

At times I risk a look at

Their celestial heights

And beauty,

But I trip

Over their toes,

And land face-first

In the dirt.

Yet they do not laugh,

But with the wind

They applaud

not facetiously,

But like a best friend

They approve even in my

failure.

Old & gnarled,

Young & smooth,

Their faces change

As I walk,

But their hearts are the same.

They are the Giants,

And I walk among them.

I was inspired to write this poem after a literal hiking "trip".  One of my feet caught a root, sending me to the forest floor.  It was nice not to have others around to see, and I considered how the trees politely refused to laugh.

Dalton library was my source of email goodness today.  After that I walked to the Cookie Lady's place which is a blueberry farm run by Rosalyn (Cookie Lady) and Roy.  They let us (Dragon, Greensinger, and I) tent there as is usual for hikers.