THE OAKEN TREE

We don't speak

The fog in front of us

Forms the words 

We wanted to sing.

The snow on the blackened rock

Is where I draw letters 

Of our name entwined

It is where I wrote all the things

I wanted to say.

The dusk here sinks heavily

Making the fireflies

And the dew drops drowsy

It rocks back and forth.

Like a thing unfirm

A thing that would break easily

If I told you I loved you.

The forest dances for us

The times we dance

The music is in us

The ones who left us

Sung it in our ears

Words that would hurt us

If they ever stopped singing

Dancing in our midst

We were never left alone.

The oaken tree holds the cradle firm

Hiding night's darkness from us

Creating a night

Where we walk with hands outstretched

Seeking warmth on our breaths

Seeing ourselves

In our tears.

We sit back to back against the oaken tree

The roots swim up to see us

They had been drowning

Amongst the brown leaves.

The fallen red leaves gleam 

Red from all the times we bled

In the silent war 

Against the unknown

Black from all the times we died

Because we dared to speak.

They lie there 

Hoping to be remembered

As the ones who did not whither mock them 

Silently they say,

"You too will fall one day."

They say

As they lay there

Waiting for 

The kiss of death.

In a moment

The leaves surrendered

To the golden light

Of the sun above.

Light makes all fallen things look beautiful.

In a moment we were alone

Alone the King and queen

Of the bare grasses

The mellow pines

We were 

Inevitable

Supreme

Our path to heaven

Was the speckled bridge of light

Over fallen things.

Until the oaken tree hid us again

Lest we should burn away

In the fire

Of insolence.

Before we speak again.

Listen to the oaken tree

It sings , "I love you."

Listen to it

Listen

Before you slide down the roots

Before we disappear

Listen 

Before you go

Before you close your eyes

To realise

That the forest never existed

And I was a lie.