Tree Spirit: A Collaboration with Joceline Burnel

To read more of Joceline's wonderful writings and to check out her newly released book please visit her blog at  
If God Was a Woman.

I have been so deeply blessed that Joss Burnel allowed the story of Tree Spirit to flow through her and share her inspiring message with me and all of you. The image flowed through effortlessly. Yet I could not hear what she was trying to tell me until Joss heard her voice and expressed it so magically for all of us to hear!


♡ Jeanette

They think they know me
those who see me, all dressed up,
in my early Spring blossoms.
They come by to smell,
to take pictures,
to oooh and ahh and pose beside me.
Standing beneath my early growth
they exclaim and are convinced
they know my purpose.

They think they know me
those who notice me
covered in Summer’s greenery
They talk about me
as though I am not even here
while climbing my branches
they take no notice
of the scratches and scars
they leave behind.
They act as though I am here
for them, only for them
and they are sure I serve
their purpose.

They think they know me
and that I am thrilled to
have them praise my beauty
during the peak of Autumn
My colours enchant them and
each year they notice whether
the reds and oranges are deeper
or lighter than the year before
and they are sure I spread out
all of my glory to please them
that my purpose here is
to bless them at each turning
of the wheel.

They think they know me
and yet they turn away from
who I truly am
My strength and endurance
are of little interest to them
the twists and turns that
the winds have wrought mean
nothing in their world
When I am bowed down by rain
when hail beats upon my door
when illness comes
they are too busy to care for me
thinking always that I am
here for them
but only when it serves their purpose.

I am this
rooted in the dark damp soil
of HER creation
I am strong and supple
and every curve
every joint tells the story
of my being here
there have been times
of quick growth when
all the elements seemed
to celebrate my being here
and there have been the
dark times of storms
that whipped about my body
and caused me to tremble
at their passing

I am this
from blossom
to leaf
to wild colour
and being bare
I am one who stands
in praise of life
who watches over
those gifted to share
my space
I have been home
to many
I have fed the soil around
me with riches
with my blood
I have joined the choir song
of life and have listened to stories
while together we
marveled at moon and stars

If you want to know me
you too must learn
to be naked before HER

~Joss Burnel / She Who Walks in Beauty