Alan Miles NYC via Foter.com/CC BY
“Your hands are full of stars and your soul full of spring.
You are beautiful, O’tree”
From “An Ode to a Tree” by Siavash Kasrai
www.perlit.sailorsite.net/mahvash/kasrai.html
It gazes upon my window with grace, one of three remaining specimens from the original six. Looking into my home as it does, it becomes an intimate stranger, a friend at a distance, viewing my life.
This tree has witnessed my presence for the last 13 years – friends coming and going,
holidays where my family joined me for celebrations, dear ones passing over. It has seen me laugh and cry, viewing the best and the rest of me, without judging my idiosyncrasies. This creation of nature accompanied me through the blizzard of January 23. I was surprised that my intimate-stranger friend made it through this snowstorm, as its branches bowed and wavered under the weight of the beautiful white dust.
My ornamental pear tree lost some of its limbs to snow, and there was a large truck that collided, taking a branch down. It changes demeanor with the seasons, bending and swaying in the wind and snow, standing tall over the cars beneath it.
When the tree first blooms, the most beautiful flowers form, which look like candy. Do you remember nonpareils, these sweets from the past? They have white sugar dots sitting on milk chocolate, a yummy memory from my childhood.
A month after the spring bloom, the flowers (nonpareils) fall and the tree becomes more green and quiet. The ornamental pear tree does not live for a long time, and this reminds me of the impermanence of life, as we know it. We are with others for a bit of time… It’s a good idea to appreciate their presence while we have them…I’ve missed loved ones. I will miss my ornamental pear tree…
I treasure the time I have with this specimen. She looks tired; her limbs bend low with fatigue. I know the time will soon come for her to be taken down by the City… At that point, a new sapling will be planted. Will it view me from my window with the same interest? Ah, if it only would…
As I prepared this blog, I realized I had never hugged my ornamental pear tree, while I actively wrap my arms around the varieties in Prospect Park. I think the metal tree guard put me off… Well, a hugging I went so that my dear friend felt the warm of my arms…
I will speak to you on May 9
Warmly,
Linda
