If a Tree Falls in the Forest, Does it make a Sound?

On holding onto what you know to be true even when others wish you wouldn't.

I.

If a tree falls.

If a tree falls.

If a tree falls.

If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?

If a tree falls in the forest

and no one is there to witness.

If a tree falls in the forest

and you are there

and you are there

but.

but your mother says it is not a tree

says trees do not exist

says trees have never existed.

If trees are falling in the forest

and you can hear the sounds.

If trees are falling in the forest so close

that the shadows dance over you as they fall.

If trees are falling in the forest

and you can feel your heart palpitating as each one hits the ground with a thud

and you are running.

If trees are falling in the forest

and one grazes your side

leaves your body bloodied; ankle broken

unable to keep running.

but your mother

your mother says why are you crying?

You poor, stupid child

there are no trees

there is no sound

there is no bloodied body, broken ankle

You are fine. You have turned out fine.

If the trees have fallen in the forest

and you cannot run.

and you are not fine and you have not been fine.

If the trees have fallen in the forest

left you bloodied; ankle broken

hair wild with leaves and dirt

eyes wide with fear; palpitating heart

and you are not fine

and you have not been fine.

but your mother

your mother glares in confusion at your tear-streaked face

says run

run or I will beat you

and when you still cannot run

and you still are not fine

she turns her back and walks away.

II.

When the trees have stopped falling in the forest

and there is only silence

and you.

When the trees have stopped falling

but the rains have come

and you are too cold

and too small

to remember

anything but the way the shadows danced over you as the trees fell

too cold and too small

to remember anything but

bloodied body, broken ankle, palpitating heart

the confusion on your mother's face before she walked away

the way she could not

did not

would not see you.

and you cannot be sure

if they

if you

exist

and you are too cold and too small to imagine an after.

If the trees have fallen in your forest

and the rains have come

and you cannot be sure

if they

if you

should ever have existed.

If the trees have fallen in the forest

but you have started to forget

and it is too cold

and you are too small

to remember a time before the falling

and you are still trying to run

even though the blood has dried

and the ankle has healed

and you want to imagine an after

but you know

that afters are only for people

who know

that they

exist

and you are not fine, and you have not been fine

then you must build a garden.

III.

When the trees have fallen in the forest

but you have given up on running

because there is nothing left to fear.

You have picked yourself up

wiped once bloodied body

cleared hair of leaves and dirt

learned to walk tenderly on no longer broken ankle

and it has taken time.

but your mother

your mother sits in the garden that you have built and tells you that trees do not exist

and there is only the confusion on your mother’s face before she walks away  

the sound of your laughter

the way she does not

cannot

will not

see you.

but you are not a child anymore

you have kissed every fallen tree

written love letters to the rotten places

dug your fingers into dampened earth

let the sun kiss your naked body

and found that you belong.

and you

and trees together

transformed nightmare into daydream

remembered how beautiful

you are

whispered to each other

that you

that they

exist.

and even when you feel the phantom pains of all that has been lost

you have promised to each other

never to forget.