I was sitting on the bench in the quiet, Under the heavy branches of the oak. The wind danced lightly among the leaves, And I remembered how to smile and trust, How the sun, hidden behind clouds, Was still there, waiting to warm my skin. Nature taught me two things today: To listen and never forget, That life is a fragile, beautiful gift, Meant as much for a wandering bird As for a lonely man on a park bench.

— “The Branches”

• James Wright