From the icy indifference
of the universe, turn
to the trees. They never
bore with mindless chatter,
their comments
on the weather sung
in the rustle and hue
of a leaf, the tilt of a trunk,
the bend of a branch.
So much wisdom
in this communion:
the reasoning of roots
that spread, support,
hold tight, take from earth
only what nourishment
is needed and keep on
giving back. Endless gifts
to the eye in shifting shapes
of leaf and branch,
a palette changing
with the seasons,
the hourly slant of sun,
symphonies from tiny
feathered throats, shade
for profusion of ferns
unfurling in the understory,
habitat and sustenance
for countless creatures,
even humans
who never notice.
Joyce Meyers won Atlanta Review’s 2014 International Poetry Competition. Her books include: Twisted Threads (Kelsay Books, 2024), an Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite; The Way Back (Kelsay Books, 2017); Stray Moments(1st World Publishing, 2025), winner of the 2024 Blue Light Book Contest; and Shapes of Love (Finishing Line Press, 2010).
