Ecosystem

I went into the woods of the Shawangunks
And marveled there
At how all could coexist
With no more
than the simplest of intention
To Breathe
To Drink
To seek Light

Each tree, bush, and lichen existed
Paid no tax beside
Providing shade,
Providing food,
Taking up space,
Holding the soil in place,
All just by existing as they do naturally

A seed is caught by the wind,
By a stream,
By the fur of an animal
and found itself planted and still,
here,
they are not asked for identification.
It is just assumed that,
by existing,
they have a right to be.

It has been proven
that a sick or hungry tree will
send pheromones through their root systems
to alert the others of their plight,
and the surrounding plants with which their roots are intertwined
will send the ailing tree
those lacking nutrients.
The trees understand that the survival of one
empowers the survival of all,
The trees understand self care
and team work

In our busy human society
serving faceless and hungry entities
under so much restriction and duress
a desperation for survival not against nature but
against imagined structures and confines
If we ran a finger along the timeline of human history
could we pinpoint the moment where we became so far
from the truth

Could we all become quiet
to learn from the trees
in the midst of it all
Will we be forced by nature herself,
to slow, to look?
The body becomes sick and we are forced to bed with our thoughts,
When the planet becomes sick,
Are we forced then, too, to become slow and quiet and thoughtful?

Do we have to wait to be forced or
Could our intentions in our existence be so simple
To Breathe
To Drink
To seek Light
To grow where we land
and To send nutrients to our brethren in need