Black Birch

Earliest known poster for Black Birch.

Black Birch: My Life as a North American Sap Tree is a work in progress.

Your people do not remember the beginning. You do not remember your ancestors. You do not even remember your own births.

We do not remember the beginning. But we remember before the ancestors. We remember the ancestors. We remember our our births.

We remember you when you were young. How few you were then! But active, so active. This is your word. It is strange to us even now.

You ran to us. You ran among us. This is your word, also strange, but less strange than active.

We sheltered you from rain.

We sheltered you from things like you. The running things. The killing things.

How different we are! And yet we meet, and speak, and share the ways our two peoples.

Origin

The good and gracious 𝘼𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 🏆@AoftheH has offered me a literary commission — my first — which I am honored and pleased to accept.

O Muses, your servant I am, hear my hopes:

Grant me a fine work, that I may be worthy of your gifts.