Moon of Popping Trees

Moon of Popping Trees
2009

Standing alone in the muffled silence of a billion swirling snowflakes,
I know no fear in my heart or thought filled mind.
For I have been born and bred to this northern land.
A harsh beautiful environment of wind, snow and freezing cold.
I am without a doubt perfectly peaceful and content
with myself and this frozen northern land called the Dakotahs.
I move through the snow laden, wind swept trees,
my tracks fading away into the distance
already beginning to fill with snow.
Soon they too will fade, buried beneath a blanket of sparkling white snow,
a hundred million diamond points the snow catches the vague light reflecting it into the cold dark night
in a brilliant starry array.
Silently and thoughtfully I move on into the storm swept night.
Soon too I know I must find a remain over night sight.
A snug little shelter of warmth and life:
within a small fire which I will build and continue to feed slowly but steadily through the long cold snow filled night.
My bed tonight will be fragrant pine boughs upon which I will spread my bed and myself in glorious comfort,
many more pine boughs will serve as my roof and walls.
A fortress against my enemies… the freezing cold
and the wind driven, stinging snow.
In the morning I will emerge refreshed and rested
into a brilliantly bright, sight-blinding display of
Mother Nature’s frozen winter work.
Snow has fallen steadily for three full days, sometimes lightly, sometimes heavily,
but ever falling from the moisture rich sky to the thirsting Earth waiting patiently below.
You see I understand and respect my small part in this endless wondrous drama between Earth and Sky.
In my heart, I am humbled for I know this is cosmic construction on a grand scale,
and I am only a feeble spark struggling
and thankful to be alive and living to greet my old friend,
Life Giving Sun.
Mother it is a Good Day to die.

AJ Melk