The trees fall

one by one, a cacophony

of silent cries

With each one

we lose precious

testimony, a kingdom

undone

Some of you might have read my blog post last summer about the weird experience I had while walking along the river trail. I had discovered a spot in the river where the water was completely still. Gazing in, I saw reflections of the stately trees and infinite blue sky. It seemed like an upside-down world, and I wondered if I dived into the river, would I enter this other world that looked like mine, yet seemed more vivid? I imagined it to be a portal, perhaps an entry into Faery. I had not carried my camera with me that day, so I vowed to return and capture its beauty in photos. I became obsessed with the thought. I was drawn to that place like a ravenous person following the scent of freshly baked cinnamon buns into the doorway of a pastry shop.

That night I dreamed of the upside-down world. The skies there were so much bluer, the clouds whiter and fluffier. If the colors were more vibrant, how would other experiences seem? Would berries taste sweeter, friends speak truer, perfect words be more easily found? Would the portal even be there when I returned?

The next dawn found me rambling along the river's edge with my camera in hand. The portal was still visible and continued to exude its magical allure. I scrambled down the steep slope to stand beside the watery mirror. I removed my shoes, chose a shallow spot and waded into serene skies. The air around me shimmered, and suddenly I was confronted by a chattering squirrel who seemed quite upset by my presence. He was balancing on a maple branch that swung out over the river, just above my head. Hoping to appease him, I splashed over and deposited a handful of my snacking peanuts at the base of the tree. When he offered no further protest, I continued on.

 At first the various sycamores and oaks with their glossy emerald leaves were as exquisite as in my dream, but as I continued to trudge along, the pungent scent of mud and decaying leaves filled my nose. As I surveyed the area, I noticed the surrounding trees were already dead or dying. I felt I had walked many miles, and feeling disoriented, I sat on a rotting log to rest.

The trail above me was no longer visible, and I realized I was sitting on a log that was stuck in the drying riverbed. I thought I must have walked to where the river changed its course, as only a few stagnant puddles remained. Years of previous flooding were evident though, and erosion had washed away the soil, forcing the trees to lean precariously. I was eye-level with their exposed, gnarled roots. Masses of jumbled roots, twisting over and under each other. Curved tips clawing into the remnants of the riverbank. Trees clinging hopelessly to life, desperate to keep from toppling.

Then, I detected a thrumming like the drone of bees in a summer meadow. My gaze wandered farther into the tangled roots, and I saw what appeared to be animate shadows swirling in the hollow, dank spaces underneath. Suddenly, these vaporous beings billowed out from their hidey-holes, clung to me like ivy, and moaned with soft whispers of breath, "Be still. We will not harm you."  I wondered, as they wove their hypnotic spell around me.

I sat mesmerized throughout the day. I absorbed the dying trees' sorrow, and as the Sun's rays slanted longer, I continued to observe, transfixed, and understood what it was like to stand against time and weather, unmoving, experiencing each season and the changes in their environment with no choice, none at all, but to witness and endure. Their once verdant spirits had become dream-laced shadows stirring amidst their stark, skeletal roots. These were the shadows that held me captive, their desolate voices echoing around me, their memories seeping into the land and the river. And yet, if I looked closely, I could see small green sprouts emerging from the dead trunks.

As twilight beckoned, the spell lifted, and I stood and found my way back to where I had first entered the river. I believe the portal contained a magical pool that reflected the forest in its most perfect beauty. Stepping into that reflection had taken me into a realm beyond the surface, where it was possible to experience the trees' plight and their suffering, one of Nature's eternal cycles.

There are portals wherever you live. Our world is filled with places of power, where inspiration waits just beyond a woodland path, and a forest's memories remain as close as a river's reflection.

By Ailynari

Embracing Other Realms

Ailynari currently lives in a teensy river house in Indiana. She shares her home with numerous dried gourds, two dogs, a ghost kitty, and all manner of Fae folk. The gourds have their own room.

She sometimes feels she communicates better with animals and the Fae than humans, although she is working on this.

"For me, living in the magic is a spiritual endeavor. It's about doing my best to live in harmony with all of the spirits and beings of Nature, seen and unseen."

 

Ailynari has been a member of Enchanted Folk since November 2007

members.enchantedfolk.com/ailynari

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