Fairies of the Trees

Fairies of the Trees, poem by Terri Windling

Fairies of the Trees

inspired by tales of "oak men" and other tree fatries

The thing you need to know, child,
is that trees do speak.
they do tell tales,
they sing when the've a mind to.
they are gigglers, gossips, grumblers,
cataloguing every ache and pain,
and yet they hold no grudges,
claim no debts, speak ill of no creature.
They have their tempers, yes.
tantrums of branches lashed in gusts and gales,
but then they come to rest in stillness, spent,
humming contentedly.
You've heard them, dear,
just yesterday.
You thought it was only the wind.
The thing you need to know
is that each morning every tree stands tall
and chants its name, its history,
its kinship web and lineage.
You've heard them, dear,
but thought it was
the dawn chorus of birds.
The thing you need to know
is that the trees tell stories older than
the oldest tales of humankind.
By dusk, by night, by starlight
you have marked their midnight murmuring.
You told me so
but thought it was
just water rushing through the stream.
The thing you need to know, child.
is that trees do speak in their own language.
They mutter in the crackle autumn leaves;
they sigh as snow settles at their feet;
they utter exquisite arboreal poems
as each tender young leaf unfurls;
they laugh in shivers of gold and green
when tickled by a summer's breeze,
The thing you need to know, child,
is that trees do speak in the tree language.
And yes, you will understand their speech one day,
root child, sweet sapling.