5The forest booms with weathered din.
He holds sublimed his gracious kin,
For deep their roots run through the Earth,
And slow their faith makes to rescind.
Encumbered falls the dripping might
Of everything that brings him fright.
He makes their stroke of doom unreal
While all the same he makes them right.
And all was good and all was well
Until the bane of forest's dell
Came hitherto to wreek its wrath
And make the sacred wood so fell.
Now the forest knows the day,
It knows the night, it knows the way
That any man will ever walk,
Or any beast will ever stray.
Release him from his curtained binds
So he may feast upon the rinds
Of all the wisdom buried 'neath
The ill-cast fates of death's framed minds.
Or keep him 'neath the light of sun.
Suppress him under virtue's shun.
Deny him right to ever see
The truth when life's right will is done.
But never question what he sees.
He sees the weight of countless trees.
He keeps the sights of countless years,
And only he can make you free.
So quick are all to him condemn,
When only he can make them men;
When only he can make prepared
The very paths of all of them.
8/25/04