story now, craft later

The trees bear witness

 

In Puerto Rico, there are so many trees on this tropical island of mine

Trees that have remained for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years 

You can tell it’s been such a long time just by looking at them

They are so large and thick–

they almost look overgrown 

 

These trees must have been here for over 500 years at least

These trees must have witnessed all the history of Puerto Rico 

Beyond the 500 years I try to research

Because that’s as far as the written word can tell me anything beyond theory

I imagine the trees bear witness to the true history of Borikén

 

These trees remained after the first European invaders came

The trees were there to witness the invaders genocide of Borikén’s people 

Through disease, battles, slavery, abuse, and more. 

The trees witnessed that some of the Borikén’s people remained 

like the trees themselves

While others jumped into the ocean to avoid the inevitable 

The trees saw that too

 

The trees bore witness when Borikén officially became Puerto Rico

The trees heard when Borikén was renamed after it’s use, a rich port, 

to these invaders who began to live on this land 

 

The trees saw Borikén’s people number dwindle drastically and continuously

The trees witnessed another group of people come with the invaders

But most of these new people came in chains

The trees saw the new people treated similar to the people of Borikén

 

The trees became so horrified with all that happened in less than 100 years 

They could not look anymore

They refused to look

But they kept hearing everything–

The invaders language become the language of the land

The sound of bullets and bombs

The anguish of the people who came in chains 

and Borikén’s people that remained 

The trees heard battles and revolts

The trees heard pleas of freedom and mercy 

from the earth 

from gods

from God

The trees heard too much

 

The trees begged God to no long bear witness

The trees begged God to let them be cut down

To burn in the breeze,

or be thrown into the sea 

The trees could bear witness no longer

 

God heard the trees

 

Some he granted a hurricane to take them into the sea

Some were pulled by their roots out of the earth

While other trees pleas, God refused to grant

He told the trees it was there job to bear witness 

To be a testament of history 

But more than the cruelty and evil of man, 

The trees were to be testaments of God

To demonstrate growth, 

despite tragedy,

Demonstrating strength and durability to remain and not bend to the evil of man

To demonstrate hope and life

that freedom can be found beyond what the world could ever offer

The trees are testaments of God’s creation and his love

For even the trees that bear witness can remain and endure 

How much more will God be near to us to remain and endure?

How much deliverance and freedom is offered with the promise of Heaven?

If the trees continue to bear witness to both good and evil, 

cannot we be relieved that our time to bear witness ends sooner than the trees?

 

The trees remain to bear witness 

as they are some of the only things that can remain for over 500 years in this world

 

Now, all the trees clap their hands 

rejoicing to their creator God

for only the goodness of the land

and the death of evil men

 

The trees bear witness and clap their hands