The Trees

The trees inside the house are moving out into the forest, which has been empty for days and nights - no bird could sit, no insect hide, no sun bury its feet in shadow. By morning the forest will be full of trees.

The poem opens with a striking reversal: the trees inside are moving out into the forest. That forest has been empty all these days and nights - no bird could sit, no insect hide, no sun bury its feet in shadow. By morning, the forest that was lifeless will be full of trees.

All night the roots work to free themselves from cracks in the veranda floor. Leaves press toward the glass; twigs stiffen with effort. Long-cramped boughs shuffle under the roof like newly discharged patients moving to clinic doors.

All night the roots work to disengage from cracks in the veranda floor. Leaves strain toward the glass; small twigs grow stiff with exertion. Long-cramped boughs shuffle under the roof like newly discharged patients, half-dazed, moving toward clinic doors - a simile of painful, determined escape.

The poet sits indoors with doors open to the veranda, writing long letters in which she scarcely mentions the forest leaving the house. The night is fresh; the whole moon shines; the smell of leaves and lichen reaches like a voice into the rooms.

Meanwhile the speaker sits inside, doors open to the veranda, writing long letters in which she scarcely mentions the departure of the forest from the house. The night is fresh, the whole moon shines in an open sky, and the smell of leaves and lichen still reaches like a voice into the rooms.

The speaker's head is full of whispers that tomorrow will be silent. The glass breaks; the trees stumble forward into the night. Winds rush to meet them. The moon is broken like a mirror, its pieces flashing in the crown of the tallest oak.

The speaker's head is full of whispers that will be silent tomorrow. Then - "Listen. The glass is breaking." The trees stumble forward into the night; winds rush to meet them. The moon is broken like a mirror, its pieces flashing in the crown of the tallest oak, marking triumphant reunion of trees with open nature.