Oh Mother, My Mother

You walk out onto your back porch

And stare out to the magical world behind you.

The fields, the forests, the sound of nature,

It sings a siren song that calls to you.

You find your feet being carried towards the vast wood,

Standing at the edge of what seems like a different world.

You breath in the smell of the air,

Rich, earthy scents of moss and wood fill your lungs.

You inhale that scent one more time,

Letting it fill every lonely dark crevice of your soul.

Your feet unconsciously take a step forward,

Never turning back, you go deep into the unknown.

You feel a presence surround you,

It feels like a mother’s embrace, soft and welcoming.

You hear the wildlife around you,

Every bird, every insect, every fowl.

They are your brothers and sisters in this moment,

The family you didn’t know you had.

You walk along following no path,

Feeling the rich earth and leaves cushion your every step.

Your bare feet embrace the Earth,

You feel its very essence come into your soul.

Your feet have carried you to a glade of shin high grasses,

Wildflowers and soft grasses woven together harmoniously.

You look into the center and find a tall tree,

Three men thick and tall as any house you’ve known.

You walk up to this tree,

Nay,

You are being pulled by it.

Each thud of your heart seems to echo in your chest and ears,

Sounding almost as if the very forest around you has its own pulse.

You find yourself at the base of the tree,

Its mighty presence exerts a force around it.

You feel your hands being raised without your conscious will,

Your fingertips graze the bark, gently like a caress.

You feel every edge and dip,

Like the wrinkled skin of an elder.

You press your palms flat against the trunk,

Closing your eyes, you focus on it.

It’s as if the life residing in the tree is calling to you,

Reaching out to embrace you into its very being.

You feel your cheeks wet with tears,

The feeling encompassing you can only be understood,

By those you have been away from home for so long,

Only to return and feel the love of one’s family.

You slide to your knees,

Your hands sliding with you and coming to rest in the earth.

Your fingers dig into the soil,

You relish the feeling of dirt under your nails.

The earth feels warm and vibrant,

The pulse you felt stronger and steadier.

Your eyes still closed can see so little,

But at this moment you are seeing with your soul, your heart.

You feel every little beat of life around you,

The spirit of everything drumming all about.

The plants and trees beat a slow pulse,

Constant, steady, smooth, and deep.

The wildlife has a staccato beat,

Intermediate, quick, erratic, and lighter.

You realize the plants are an anchor to the Earth,

Binding everything around it to its very core.

The wildlife is dancing to this beat the Earth puts forth,

Helpless to do anything but follow its melody.

You open your eyes and glance around you,

Had the forest always been so vibrant?

You look up to see the sky peeking through the leaves,

Had the sun always been so warm and inviting?

You look around the grasses and flowers at your feet,

Had the plants always been so beautiful and enthralling?

You raise to your feet and look up at the massive tree once more,

You smile and nod your head slightly, paying respects.

You feel as if you have been invited into someone’s home,

Or let in on a secret not many are privy to.

You turn and start the trek back to your property,

Still feeling the beat echoing in your soul.

You reach the edge and stop to glance over your shoulder,

Then forward again.

You feel torn,

Should you stay?

Should you go?

You gnaw on your lip and wring your fingers.

You look back at your newfound home and smile,

“Soon, I shall return.”

You whisper your promise softly, for only the Earth to hear.

The wind blows through the trees and you feel it embrace you,

As if acknowledging your solemn vow and whispering good-bye.

You feel tears slide down your cheeks and you turn and walk away,

You feel as if you are saying goodbye to family before a long trip.

But you do not fret,

You know you will return to where you belong.

You will return to where your soul feels the most peace.

And as you step inside your house and close the door,

You are already planning your next visit.

That sweet beat remains in your soul,

Strengthening your spirit.

You place a hand over your heart,

As if to hold the feeling close.

“Soon, Mother Earth, soon I will come home to visit.”