The Song of a Tree

I appeared in your way without you to realize I was there. You were a traveler like any other and still so different… You were walking among the others, with no target, although hurried. You were tired, hungry and thirsty… The road`s dust was rising into the clear evening air like the waves of incense smoke of the temples. Why was I suddenly troubled by the look of your deep, brown eyes, like two fountains of darkness? Were you the one I was expecting to pass? I stretched my shadow, kissing behind you the earth you had walked on, and I caressed with my leaves the wind that had chilled your forehead.
I wished you stopped to rest your soul next to me and I was stretching for you like a calling. And you stopped, indeed. At your feet I laid my most beautiful flowers with the most delicate perfume, like a sacrifice for a young god with ivory body and nighty eyes. My branches were your bed, I sang to you ancient songs with whispering windy voice and I watched over your sleep, caressing the front whose thoughts I`d have liked to know. I tried to guess your dreams when I was you anxious and I gave you my warmth.
The approaching morning was making me uneasy, because it was announcing your departure. I was counting every moment and I was saddening more and more with every star disappearing. For the first time, I didn`t want to see the sun shining. I laced my leaves to stop the light and the noises of the awakening people from getting to you. I wanted to caress you with the hands of a maiden in love, but was I something more than a tree? The only thing I could do was to touch with my silky leaves your hair, looking regretfully at your full, round lips and at your closed eyelids that covered the darkness of your eyes.
I couldn`t though keep you asleep forever. The light touched your eyelids and you woke up, hurried to leave with the others. I stretched again my branches for you to make yourself a staff to support you on the endless road expecting for you.
And you left. I was hoping you came back, but you were walking without looking over your shoulder. My leaves were crying with dew tears.
Before you got lost beyond the horizon, you stopped for a moment, hesitating… then you continued walking.
I remained at the edge of the road, as a witness of you being passing through this place, and I will be here for a long time from now on, waiting for you.

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