Strawberry Tree

There will never be global peace
We will never all be ripe enough
Mature enough
Awake enough 
...together

The arduous journey to ripening 
To peace, to love
To fulfill the ultimate destiny 
Must be done alone

I love strawberry trees
They tell this story well
The budding of consciousness
The flowering of consciousness 
And the ripening of consciousness

All on the same tree...
At the same time...

Budding consciouness
Remains closed and hard
While flowering consciousness 
Dances with the birds and bees
And the heavy, ripe fruit
Of mature, awakened consciousness 
Waits to be devoured
To spread the seeds 
Of peace and love and joy

All in the same world...
All at the same time...

bjbeyers 2023