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Home→Poetry, ScripPics→Winter Seasons: Trees Unmasked, Poem

Winter Seasons: Trees Unmasked, Poem

Pursuing Wisdom Posted on by

Instead of anxiety, Philippians tells us, we should “think on things that are lovely….” (4:6, 8). But what if life has dropped us in the middle of a drab winter season when there’s not much loveliness to find?

A while back, I thought of the bare trees of winter—with their gray-brown spider branches marring the sky—as a necessary ugliness to tolerate between the lovely colors of autumn leaves and the first buds of spring. But then I read an article that lauded winter trees. I don’t remember where or exactly what it said, but it inspired a new attitude—an appreciation for their beauty—for trees that show their bones, not afraid of their shape, their structure, the true stuff you can’t see when they’re covered with leaves.

Please enjoy this poem, thanking the Lord who desires our company, just the way he made us, no matter how dark the cold world.

Trees Unmasked

Suckling leaves of summer’s stint
Grew and lingered
Flourished in charm
Passed their prime
Too fragile for winter’s play

Shake off the garb!
Bare the bones to chilly blasts!

Unashamed of wrinkled bark
Branches prove unflinching brawn
Knuckles stretch
Company of fingers
Reach the backlit sky
Waving
Snapping
Praising
Parley with the wind

Time to unmask
No secrets
Raw wonder
Unbridled trust
Face down the full brunt of winter
Maturing
Brooding
Birthing new buds of Spring

“Naked Trees” Copyright Patricia Tillman, 2020

I would love to hear your response, your own thoughts of inner beauty and strength…

Comments

Winter Seasons: Trees Unmasked, Poem — 10 Comments

  1. Patty,
    You’ve captured an essential truth of life that seasonably responsive trees illustrate. Behind our outward presentation of identity and activity as experienced by others are necessary structures of support and seasons of rejuvenation.

    Keep observing life and creatively communicating it!

    • Thank you, Keith, for affirming that the leaves are good and godly as part of who God made us to be, but they are nourished according to his strength in our inner soul.

  2. Really enjoy the poem. I think of trees in the winter and how they can look like delicate lace with a backdrop of moonlight. And then I think of the roots, hidden and reaching out, giving strength. Oh the wonders of the Wonderful!

    • I thought of you, Carol, and knew you would be one to appreciate the beauty of winter trees! And roots are another aspect of who we are… musings for another poem!

  3. What a beautiful poem ..thought providing ..each season has its purpose and so does our lives.

  4. Lovely, lovely poem! You capture the brawn of winter. The untethering of the sun soaked leaves and the stripping away to the essential.

    • Thanks for your beautiful words, Priscilla. Yes, it’s the stuff of growth. If we refuse to process through the seasons in our lives, then we don’t grow.

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