Trees

On bad days

Remember trees.

 

They will let you stop.

Let you lean back against them,

Or lose yourself up in their reaching branches.

They will shelter and shade.

They grow so slowly that you can’t resent

Their development, but can be reminded

That the days will pass, they will pass.

 

On better days

Remember trees.

 

They will let you soar,

Let you lean into life,

Run through them, swing from them, sing at them,

Breathe them in, breathe in them.

They disappear so quickly, we mustn’t consent

To their destruction, so be reminded

That the days will pass, they will pass

AUTHOR

Rhiannon Oliver

Rhiannon Oliver is an actress, poet and workshop leader. As an actress she has performed with companies such as The National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, National Theatre of Wales, BBC and Sky. Her children’s poetry features, or is forthcoming, in The Dirigible Balloon, Northern Gravy, Paperbound Magazine, Little Thoughts Press and Launchpad Magazine. She works for Interact Stroke Support performing stories, poems and songs to support stroke recovery and runs Story and Song sessions for young children through the medium of Welsh.