The Willow Tree

I

As the rain begins to fall,

a silent Something starts to call;

I’m at the mercy of it all,

my running feet slow to a crawl…

To the heady air I softly beg

A wish long held on weakened legs:

Come and find me,

sneak up behind me,

Beneath the willow tree.

Swaying tendrils I push aside;

here forever I could reside.

I know that I am safe inside--

you’re soon to come and sit beside…

II

Long I wait with bated breath;

Hoping is the slowest death.

Then, lo, I hear footsteps soft

My heart so heavy is now aloft…

You’ve come to find me,

and sit beside me,

beneath the willow tree.

Gently as you touch my face

My dormant heart begins to race.

There is neither Time nor Space,

While hidden here, in our secret place.

Come and find me,

twirl and spin me,

beneath the willow tree.

We sway just like the lazy leaves.

Birds sing out from distant eaves.

We need no music, you and I;

Just the look that’s in your eye.

Come and find me,

sing and strum me,

Beneath the willow tree.

III

You lay a blanket on the ground,

The falling rain the only sound.

You swing a pretty basket ‘round…

In such a spell you have me bound.

Joy makes my head silly and light;

We munch and giggle in sheer delight.

It’s as though we attend a picnic of old

with singing flutes and plates of gold.

You’ve come to find me,

wine and dine me,

Beneath the willow tree.

IV

Then we talk for many hours

Under the tendrils still embowered.

Grateful to be neither seen nor heard,

We talk of life, love, and lessons learned…

You take my hand in a tender grip

and put your finger to my lips;

“The crickets have come out to play

an inviting concerto,” with a grin you say.

Come and find me,

laugh and tease me,

beneath the willow tree.

Letting our talk go where it will,

Soon we grow quite soft and still.

I become aware that I feel older;

my head rolls heavy to your shoulder.

Come and find me,

whisper and tell me,

beneath the willow tree.

V

Still we sit in the fading light;

we’ve had all day, and we have all night.

Hand to hand, we’re a pretty sight

Our faces glowing in firelight.

At long last the moon is awake;

we shed our skins just like a snake.

But there is no forbidden fruit here:

you take my hand and pull me near.

Your arms around me sure and strong,

My spirit rises on a song.

You’ve stolen stars from the evening sky

and brought them down to place in my eyes.

Come and find me,

caress and kiss me,

beneath the willow tree.

VI

Though all of me quivers and shakes,

With you I know there are no mistakes.

Long-dead parts of me are now awake;

but we know we have some choices to make.

We’ll make them later; for what do we see?

A glassy pond waiting patiently.

Out from the leaves we burst like a shot—

Fate herself brought us to this spot.

We run in and splash and play,

With only the moon lighting our way.

After we are shiny and spent,

You pull me back to our tendril tent.

We huddle together, skin to skin;

The globe itself has stopped its spin.

Slowly, so slowly, we burn and combust.

Ashes to ashes; dust to dust.

Come and find me,

hold and love me,

beneath our willow tree.