The Old Gum

From a distance… I can see brown, buckling branches flying like beautiful birds in the wind with lots of deep green leaves soaring to the sky, then dipping back down to the ground. I can hear the fatal storm roaring, its wrath making the Earth pound. The deep serenity of the old Gum is the only place where safety is found.

Close up… I can feel the old Gum’s bold struggle to keep his friends safe. His ragged bark forcing the storm out. The inside of his trunk is so snug and soft and his light, lush leaves are another layer of warmth and cosiness for his friends. I can smell his sweet sap scent and all his friends, caring for each other for the first time like a stallion and his mares in a herd.

Above me… I can see the storm clouds parting and all the old Gum’s animal friends waking up. There are Kookaburras, Magpies, and Galahs flying away together, going to be rough, raging rivals once more. I can hear them squawking their thanks, saying their wings are as dry as deserts because of the old Gum.

Below me… I can feel daunted bugs; soft, saturated soil; soaked, brown sticks; and muggy plants. I can see beautiful bugs coming out of their burrows, dazzling rainbows through the misty, dim green grass. The old Gum watching everything quickly grow more and more like kids from the day they were born.