Who did you go into
the forest wilderness
to see?
Was it the humble sower
of sublime and wicked
seeds?
Or did you rather go there
so that you may gaze
upon the many fruits..
that over time
upon The Tree he tended to
developed and matured?

I ask thee,
is not maturation
but an early stage
of that same process..
By which we also
come to wither and die?
When I was younger,
I loved many sparrows
resting on my branches..
now that I’m older,
I know better than to cry…
When yet another sparrow
finally takes flight..
away from me
into the deep blue skies.

Truth is,
the fickle love of sparrows
may be bought and sold.
You can get a dozen of them
sitting on thy branches..
if thou have the dime.
And though
the dimes within thy wallet
may regenerate and multiply
with each and every day..
The days we’ve lived
forever go away.
For, every hair
upon our head
is numbered..
each and every one
eventually grays.
And every fruit
upon our branches,
once so lustrous
and appetizing..
eventually rots
and falls away.

So tell me,
ye lone wanderer..
Who did you go into
the forest wilderness
to see?
Was it the will
of winds invisible
that swayed the reeds?
Or was it rather him..
the messenger
of prophets,
in the flesh
and deed?

If it is me
who you still seek..
then I’m afraid
you’re just as lost
as you were once before.
You failed to dance
to joyful tunes
I played for you
upon my pipe..
I shall not play
these tunes for you
once more.
Perhaps my dirges
shall at least possess
enough authority of voice
to help you mourn?

Sweet child,
though you may hear
as if my voice is singing..
The words I sing to you
don’t come from me.
They’re merely fruits
which came to life
by my hard labor..
but by His decree.
The seed that sprouted
wasn’t mine to sow..
I merely tended to The Tree
with love and care
to help it grow.

The seed from which it grew
was not bestowed by Him
upon this humble hermit..
because he is
The Chosen One, somehow
the most deserving.
I never claimed to be
the herald of His joyful news.
I am The Sower
and The Reaper..
of His sweet
and bitter truths.