Oak not
William S. Peters,sr.

                                     

                                      

I am not an Oak
That yields acorns
For the squirrels to squander
And saplings to grow
Beneath my shadow

I am not an Oak
Who is broken
By the strong winds
Of adversity

I am a Willow,
I am giving,
I am pliable
And I am beautiful

My life and that
Of the generations to come
Is firmly embedded
In my DNA

I have seed, yes,
I have roots, yes
I have many ways
To reproduce
Multitudinously
That my genus
Will survive

It is in my DNA

You may uproot me,
But I have already infected
The garden
With my gentle ways

I sing in the wind
Gently rustling,
Delicately whispering
Of the ways of giving

Shhhh...
Listen,
Can you hear me weeping?

I spread my limbs
And give respite
To all who have need,
Or shelter from
The weary ways of life

I am not an Oak,
No, I have learned this,
That the way of my ancestors
Is survival,
And that shall I do ...
I am a Willow

Oak not

(c) 13 august 2019 : william s. peters, sr.

www.iamjustbill.com