Natural Voices
A Poem
What changed, what was the trigger
Remains a mystery
Sounds never heard before,
At least consciously
Now ring clearly
Did Nature increase her volume?
Or did some internal shift
Allow me to interpret waves
That previously went unregistered?
There, there, and there, everywhere!
The sap in the trees is audible
As it scream its defiance
To the cold, snow, and icy winds of winter
Even as some of their limbs are broken off
The trees are undaunted,
Shouting into my mind
“We have endured, we shall persist”
Squirrels, my life-long adversaries
Are articulate in their delight
At the folly of humankind
“We are free to run, jump, and climb
While you shelter in your cages
Even the mirrors on your walls
Know that we are superior to you all”
The chipmunks echo this last refrain
As they too proclaim their higher status
In Nature’s hierarchy
