The Way of the Reed, the Strength of the Palm
By Oscar S. Cisneros [ Download in MP3 ]
In the sanctuary of sabals there lies a palm. Blown down by a gulf-borne hurricane, it has risen again. For a decade, its graceful neck climbed above the leaves and underbrush of the South Texas landscape - until the fierce winds of a storm snapped its spine. Although ten feet of the palm lie flat against the ground, twelve feet have since grown toward the sun. With the strength of the oak and the yielding ways of the reed, it has risen again. The palm tree's roots search the shallow depths of dirt for angels' tears dripped from the sky. Its roots stretch far and wide, not deep. Every drop, every drizzle of rain that falls is devoured in a parched-mouthed lick of the sands. And so goes the story of one sabal palm tree in the sanctuary groves of Deep South Texas.
