Hope


It  is to  do with  trees:
being amongst  trees.

It  is to  do with  tree ferns:   
mamaku,  ponga, wheki.   
Shelter  under here   
is  so easily  understood.     

You  can see  that trees   
know  how it  is
to  be bound   
into  the earth   
and  how it  is to rise  defiantly
into  the sky.      

It  is to  do with  death:
the  great  slip in  the valley:   
when  there is  nothing left   
but  to postpone  all travel
and  wait
in  the low  gut of the  gully
for  water,  wind and  seeds.

It  is to  do with  waiting.
Shall  we wait  with trees,   
shall  we wait  with,
for,  and under  trees
since  of all  creatures   
they  know the  most
about  waiting,  and waiting   
and  slowly  strengthening,  
is  the great  thing
in  grief,  we can do?      

It  is always  bleak
at  the beginning   
but  trees  are calm     
about  nothing   
which  they believe   
will  give rise  to something  
flickering  and swaying     
as  they  are: so  lucid
is  their  knowledge  of green.    


Listen to Dinah: