DRYAD
You look at me but you don't see me.
You may look up to me but you take me for granted. You have no idea.
Memories, what memories I have. You may not believe I could remember anything, but I do. I remember what happened on this very spot years before you were born. Yes, it's a shady little patch of woodland now, but back then it was dry, harsh bracken. Nature was struggling to survive against the poisons that had been buried in the ground - waste products from the reckless industries all around this area. But I wasn't thinking of that as I wandered through here trying to find a short cut home one night. I was concentrating solely on watching where I was putting my feet so I didn't stumble on a rock or trip over an old tree root as I picked my way through the tangled weeds in the twilight. I didn't even notice I was heading straight for the one remaining tree in the whole valley, until I lifted my head suddenly after hearing a strange unexpected sound.
It was definitely a girl's voice I had heard - but there was no-one around. There was still just enough light to see around me, and unless someone was hiding behind the tree, I was totally alone. I walked slowly right around the tree just out of curiosity - nobody there. I looked up into the branches - silly to expect to find anyone perched up in a tree, but I looked anyway. Still no sign of anyone, but I slowly became aware of how dilapidated the tree looked. It could not possibly have supported anyone in its withered branches anyway, so I shrugged and started on my way again, after briefly reorienting myself. Then I saw her.
She was standing right in my path, looking straight at me with a puzzled, slightly dazed expression; her head tilted slightly to one side as if unsure of herself. She was young looking, slim and extremely attractive - and totally naked. Her skin was pale with perhaps a yellowish tint, and seemed to have a faint glow about it. I didn't have much of a chance to study her in any more detail (which I was obviously very keen to do) since she suddenly darted behind the tree with hardly a sound. The trunk of the tree was barely thick enough to hide even her slim figure; but she disappeared completely and left me wondering if I had imagined the whole thing. I circumnavigated the trunk again, but there was no trace of her. I stood still, listening for any strange sound - and noticed it was unusually quiet here. In fact the only sound that registered on me was a faint whistling of wind through the branches. I looked up again and was briefly mesmerised by the almost imperceptable movement of the few withered leaves - then a hand touched my shoulder.
I jumped with the shock, and turned around quickly - to see only empty air again. Now I was getting annoyed - this was not funny. "Stop playing around and show yourself", I said out loud, and startled myself with my own voice. I leaned up against the tree and listened to the wind again. It had a calming soporific effect, and I started to feel a bit sleepy. Then she appeared again from behind me, moving as smoothly and as silently as smoke, until she stood in front of me in all her naked glory, staring up at me with pleading green eyes.
I never noticed the sun set and rise again the following morning. I totally missed the dawn chorus as the songbirds greeted the new day. I was completely caught up in her spell; I forgot who I was; what I was - she became my world - her and the tree, nothing else existed. We became inextricably intertwined; space and time twisted around our bodies as the sun and moon raced across the sky and the days grew longer and hotter. I felt the heat of the summer sun on my back as we lay under the canopy of leaves our tree had brought forth; and she smiled silently and gently pulled me back down onto her again. I looked up briefly when the tree started to shed its leaves, and I noticed her skin had turned a beautiful golden yellow, and mine a burning red. I felt a brief involuntary shiver and fell asleep, and when I awoke she was still with me; still a part of me, but more beautiful and fresh than ever. I tried to stand and found to my surprise that I couldn't; I was becoming part of the tree as well. I could see myself at the foot of the tree; looking more like a strange mist than a human being, but definitely me. But if that was me, where was I looking from? The girl seemed to have gone, but at the same time she was still with me. I felt disoriented, disembodied, dehumanised. But it didn't matter - her voice echoed around me and within me; thank you so much she said; you have let me live and grow again - look, I am all around you, we can grow and spread our seeds and change this dead place. Nature always triumphs; we have done it, we have blossomed…
And now you have come to cut me down while I'm still in my prime. If only you knew.
© 2004 Elwood Herring