Being in a place looking at the ground
Where three and a half million years ago trees were blown down.
Forces in the earth reached up to the sky
Sending shock waves and ashes so mighty trees would lie.
Then resting under the ashy ground
Water seeped until trees it found
Changed were the trees, no longer of wood
Silica seeped in and for ages it stood.
If life changes to stone when left all alone
Do memories turn to magic and sorrows once so tragic
Become the stuff of wisdom and grace
Passed through generations each in their time and place?
Vague beliefs come from ancestors buried long ago
Like trees made of wood in sunlight they grow.
Then history and mystery morph underneath
Into truths now eternal and solid beliefs.
Changed by earth’s power we can reflect on this hour.
Our mothers and fathers walked earth of their time
Finding forests and seas and mountains to climb,
With some even knowing when their days they were done
The only thing they left was their daughter and son.
Passing knowledge like water to become wisdom like stone
Hardening certainty of the truths to be known.
That good and evil are recognized in the fruits of their labor
And striving to be better was what each life or day was meant for
As descendants of descendants we dig the earth to find
A solid heritage formed like stone; we were meant to be kind.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 04/26/14
