The Dance of Life

 

poem by Ruth Gilmore Ingulsrud

'Rootloose' (inspired by the artwork)

Deep down in the middle

of forest and trees

There lived an old oak

who did just as she pleased

She danced in the moonlight

She danced in the sun

When strong winds were blowing

and when there were none

The other trees warned her that dancing was wrong

And trees that went waltzing

just didn’t belong

But deep in her heartwood

she knew she was right

To dance with her branches

from morning till night

One day a young dancer

pranced into the wood

She bowed to the tree

as a dance partner should

Her new friend could leap

and cavort and sashay

So she picked up her roots

and went waltzing away