The Orchard of Unity
The old man walked deep into his orchard,
With his son and grandson,
It was a family ritual that occurred,
Through every generation from fathers to sons,
They carried with them a developing peach tree,
That signified the birth and growth of the child,
For each boy in their family was given this immortality,
So that after death they could provide for their family,
Quietly they sauntered down a path surrounded by
Memories of past time and the completion of offerings from fathers to sons
Where Grandfather stopped to rest at his withered old tree where you could see
There was a passage finely carved from the old man to a certain lady which read:
In this orchard we meet to find a love so sweet
Well away from the city so our hearts can be free
In these surrounding trees we will be in Unity,
Continuously living happily – Forever just you and me
The old man gazed at the distant passion where he closed his eyes with affection,
And proclaimed:
It was noon like this day, but the sun began to fade away, where in the autumn’s dimming rays a beautiful girl meandered happy and gay,
Her innocence stole my voice away so that I didn’t know what to say
As her stare bore through my soul with compassion and care,
And she murmured to me, “Has life been fair?”
I replied with conviction, “Only if I can have your devotion to love
For you dance like a butterfly lifting my heart higher above
She looked at me and her emotions climaxed as I kissed her cheek and whispered facts
Of life, love, and ecstasy, of commitment
And from my words flowed an arrangement
Of oaths of time’s sensuous phrases as they where overpowered by long unifying gazes,
And this moment together soon stretched into years,
Where together we faced all of life’s different fears
And soon she bore a child which was truly a mirror
Of the care the two lovers had developed and shared,
We were married the night of God’s contribution
Of a baby boy who could see his parents holy union
And the boy modeled their love, emotions, and strife, and soon found a loving wife
Where together they too brought forth a life.
Now this brings us to you my boy, a splitting image of the real McCoy
And now we must do what we came here for, what we’ve done with all sons before,
One’s offering of life’s gift in the shape of a tree,
Where the same will happen for you when you have a baby.
The curious boy looked up and asked “Where will we be beginning this task,
The planting of the tree that reflects the past
And defines how long life truly lasts
The father looked deep into his eyes and said with an abundance of pride,
“My boy it is were we now stand for someday this will be your land,
So together as the three found the sapling’s plot and host,
They blessed it to be shined on by the father, son, and holy ghost,
To gaze at it peacefully and admire,
The fulfillment of another son’s accomplished desires.
By Ryan Anthony Gibson, May 18th 1995
Posted in Uncategorized
