The Willow

I share these words of wisdom

.
.
I came upon a willow
And I asked, “Sir,
“Why do you so weep?”
Then he cleared his throat,
Wiped his tears,
As he softly said to me:

“I’ve seen the Red Man’s spirit
Burned within his hand,
I’ve seen a free Man sold here
Then shackled to the land,
I’ve seen two brothers, kill each other,
Wearing blue and wearing gray—

And the worst part, Sir, about all this
Is I can’t turn the other way.”

“I’ve seen some mighty creatures
Killed with guns or left in traps
For nothing more than the sport of it
Or put a coat upon your back.”

“I’ve seen my quiet brothers
Felled with axe and cut at will,
Not caring about the outcome
Till the last ones in the mill.”

“I’ve seen the land and waterways
Spoiled, so I cannot recognize,
And the sun will never shine the same
With all the pollution in the skies.”

He started to go on and on,
But I heard all I could hear,
So I stopped his truthful renderings
With a tug and with a tear.

“I’m sorry, Sir,” I said to him,
“But I’m the one your story names--
That the honesty your words convey
Have left me feeling quite ashamed.”

He slowly lowered his branches,
He gently wiped my eye,
His leaves began to rustle
As he sighed a long, long sigh.

“This is what’s confusing,
The reason that I weep,
Is I’ve never seen another race
With such compassion, yet so oblique.”

“You have the power to change things--
For this you are unique.
You have the power to stop right now
If it is truly what you seek.”

Those were the last words that he spoke to me.
He never spoke again
So now I share those words of wisdom
Coming from an old, old friend……