(I carved a flat relief representation of the Tree of Life for an Advent art show for a local congregation. Their theme was Home: Away from Home and tied the incarnation to the idea of immigration.)
We lived there
long generations ago
for a brief time
a garden with
pathways
flowing water and
trees in bloom
one forbidden and
one was life.
He came from before,
before generations
and time and
before imperfection.
We were blocked by
sword and fire
from a life sustaining
tree with healing leaves.
We hear the story of
what we lost and
we see in one tree and another
reminders of life and
we grasp on to it.
He sees our trees
and remembers one
by a stream, perfect,
living and abundant.
David E. Carlson
December 2018
