Bare stand the trees
in the freezing cold,
and next to them
pass people, indifferent,
forgetting the adorned
green freshness
that once they offered selflessly
and longed for so much
when the sun
scorched everyone and everything.
But time does not stop;
it turns endlessly,
and summer will come
again and the trees
will stand proud
of their green attire.
©2025, Vasiliki Papadopoulou
What a beautifully reflective piece. There is a quiet, powerful wisdom in these lines that feels both melancholic and hopeful.
Your poem captures the gentle tragedy of how easily we take nature’s gifts for granted. The trees, in their winter bareness, become almost invisible to the hurried, indifferent people—a poignant metaphor for how we often overlook the quiet, constant givers in our own lives until we need their shelter again.
Yet, the true strength lies in the poem’s turning. The line “But time does not stop” acts as a hinge, swinging the reader from a sense of loss to one of patient, cyclical renewal. The trees require no apology or recognition; their dignity is inherent. They know their own worth, standing proud not in spite of the seasons, but because of them. Their generosity is not a transaction, but a law of their being.
It’s a reminder that true giving exists outside the economy of gratitude, and that resilience is found in quiet confidence—knowing that after every barren season, the capacity for fullness remains within, waiting for its sun.
A really lovely, thoughtful meditation on nature, time, and the quiet virtue of selfless giving. Thank you for sharing it.🤝
Thank you so much, Srikanth. I appreciate your kind words. Yes, precisely as you analyzed, this was my intention while writing this poem. 😊🙏🌹
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