Kit Kelen’s ‘Up Through the Branches’

from Up Through the Branches

of bright birds, dull 
of leaves caught light with 
sunshine sown 
a welcoming – 
of wind, of cloud, of constellation 
as from the vast of days

it isn’t the eye alone to see, to steady with the sky

they stand tattooed, leaf shone exalt 
a puzzle of bark to read past weather 
breakfast in branches honey in the highest 
count them, lose yourself this way 
this is the tree where possum learned climbing 
and came to grief

tree of the swing where we killed hours 
if I could reach like this I’d be rich 

wings dip and lift in quilting light 
and everything with tail and twitch 
comes under spell

of lichen, moss 
and catch the fruit that’s falling 
be hat upon trudge, crook head to the tilt

praise the tree, rub up

clouds have plumped for top of it
some hang and some are racing

as travelled by ants all making home 
where light’s trick web is woven 
with such a symmetry
shade summer cast 
see flight’s arcs and tangents

tree of the tune grew up with me 
all twig till tip and step off into empty air 
moving eager insect after 
here’s the rain 
it’s like a hat 
won’t you call it love?

earth clinging 
where is the forest of the rain? 
the book of more than pages? 

joists and planks and beams above 
and shh! there’s someone sleeping 
unseen though, no initials carved

erect a church out of it all 
and paint till there’s a heaven 

it’s weatherwork, the tree 
bonfire of falling limbs our tribute 
built from the kindling donation

where lightning struck there’s timpani 
tinkling breeze and leaf tip trill 
all suggestions are symphonic

bark is peeled and coiled to fall 
this is the tree of the creatures trysting 
though the conclusion’s night 

moss in the folds and tendril higher 
so is the chorus kept 

the felled tree gathers veins to light 
scrap of scribble breeze makes leaf 
so death is a living thing

everyone visits 
it’s as through a lattice seen 
to let grow

where bare the branches crowd with stars 
it’s not like a wake at all 
but every bolt is from the blue

as if all souls stood with you now 
silent for applause