Time And Place
A poem by Michael Hawkes
September 3, 2026
The maple tree grows bigger every year,
Taller, heavier and thicker;
While we humans slowly disappear,
Getting shorter, thinner, sicker.
What the maples gain in girth
Depends upon their place of birth,
Their height and health and life span too;
Then thinking of our human lives
We find the same facts to be true.
For decades maple trees will flourish,
If they’re planted in a garden,
Watered well and given space;
For a man, with living room,
When well nourished,
This might also be the case.
If health and happiness depend
On being nurtured while in place,
One can imagine how things end
For the masses of a restless race.
26/09/23 – Hawkes
Feature image: Bernie Fussenegger
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Michael Hawkes was a cherished poet and contributor whose work enriched the pages of WestmountMag.ca with its sensitivity and depth. Over the years, he entrusted us with a rich body of poems, of which only a portion has yet been published. His passing leaves a profound void, but the poems still to come will continue to inspire all who were moved by his voice.
