This poem goes out to a user on here called Cryptic Poet! Thanks alot for the idea! Hope all enjoy reading this!!

Finding your Beliefs in Trees!
Do not let them decease!


There I lie in my crib as a baby I was drawn to
and bought up around tree's, how my dad always
told me to nurture mother nature to embrace it!
Taking me back throughout my younger days
of building bases with friendly faces being
able to climb up branches to reach answers
in such high places! Feeling symbolic traces
as I touch the bark where music could be
located as it could be soon stated that would
create such a positive spark!...


Walking through my woods with my dog
Lola listening too the sound of the wilderness
looking out for what could be found. I felt so
bound too this as I suddenly heard the pound
of a drum, startled by this I started to follow
the source, Lola caught up with the scent off
it, where ever this would take me was it meant
to be for me...


I thought of all the possibilities of what it could
be until I felt such an energetic vibe, looking
around the corner I saw a kinetic like warp,
standing still there for a minute as I just gawk
at this founded specimen! Lola takes a dive
through it while I strive forward after her,
falling to the ground coming out the other
side calling Lola as I find her waiting for
me by a tree.


Looking up to the skies realising I was in
a rain forest. What could be in here to
forage picking up the courage to explore,
what were the chances of anything living
amongst all of this, willing and digging
for answers I may find!


Strolling on, involving myself in this,
my senses feeling like there evolving
some how trying to adapt to any set
trap! Brushing past vines carefully
this was a place you couldn't go rushing.
What sort of guidelines were I supposed
to follow, stopping in my tracks I hear
something rustling in a bush telling Lola
to shhh, thrusting itself out at me in a
pounce a cougar was on me, Lola fought
it as she caught it off guard but was
this enough!


As I just thought I'd had my final snuff
something happened from my rear, a spear
struck in through the air, stuck in the cougar
hard it must have been stricken with quite
some altitude as it no longer could put
up a fight it's sight of life finished as
well as diminished!...


Lying there as still as statue so full of
gratitude, something had been my
saviour, someone had done me a
favour but who and what had got
too me in such a precise period of time!
Gradually rising up too my feet I saw a
black man covered in tribal like markings
with a feeling in me driving me towards
him, trying not to stare or glare he stood
there still with a knife tied around his chest
made of bamboo as well as a pot with
satchels full of god knows what, he stood
there signalling me to come closer!


I did not know whether this was a test, so
shocked my mind could not rest, pacing
towards him he suddenly shot off racing I
shouted out hey come back and quickly
bolted off after him, Lola by my side keeping
up the pace, where was he running too, was he
taking me to some sort of safe place.


Ducking, diving and shooting past tree's
pushing myself through branches. Fighting
the purge of the sunlight trying to blind my
sight, feeling the urge and surge of adrenaline
within me, going so fast with haste to keep
up with my mystery guy nor was I going to
be shy! Getting closer too him I felt the drum
beat pound inside my head the same sound I
heard that had brought me here!


As the trees and everything around me
opened up into a clearing with camps and
huts set up in trees, now I knew that I'd
finally reached my destination. Looking
up high there were platforms and there
was many sorts of man made ledge's one
after the other, now this is what I called
living life on the edge with a lot of
privileges, a community building so
many bridges.


As I came to a gradual halt the man spoke
telling me his name was Emmanuel and
that he was a shaman. Elaborating more
he said “We have long waited for you
Samuel to come too us you have much
heritage in us we have watched over you
for long, now we know you are strong and
now you must come and show us your true
faith and beliefs to become one of us, you
must control your nerves and calm them,
don't fill them with alarm! Do not worry
about your dog my people will assure you
that she is kept safe”.


Setting off with Emmanuel I soon found that
they all believed from the trees they could
harness great energy, they were sacred too
them, after finding out all this I finally
understood everything with all my questions
answered. Emmanuel spun around grabbing his
pot and one of his satchels grinding and binding
some powder up, soon realising the more Emmanuel
combined it the drum beat started getting louder with great power.


Emmanuel rotated round now facing me telling
me “You will now face mother nature by tasting
the water with your faith and noble grace!”... As
soon as he said that final word he blew the remedy
out of his pot into my eyes, I sent out such sharp
cries as my sight faded then I remembered what
he had stated too me about how I should react and act!


Taking my hand he told me “Come I shall take
you to where you need to stand then you will
understand what will make you a greater man!”..
Guiding me through taking me on some sort of
path, nor did I have a clue what he could be hiding
from me, biding and defying my emotions with
a gut feeling in me that I knew I may have to
switch what senses I feel off!..


Plodding on up and over tree roots, getting
pulled through tree shoots as Emmanuel says
“We are nearly there, take a deep breathe and
fill yourself with this pure fresh air!”. In the
background I hear a sound like a flow of
water that soon starts to alter getting heavier!
The remedy in my head trying to evaluate my
fears trying to elevate it as we get nearer our
location feeling the beckoning reckoning call!..


The terrain getting steeper the crashing sound
of water getting deeper. My eye sight re-awakening
from this blindfolded state from the remedy, gazing
at my new surroundings there I' am on the top of a
waterfall stood on the edge of a rock ledge!.. Emmanuel
saying “You may set yourself straight and now you must
take what we call the leap of faith, this will see if you
are worthy of your mark!”...


Taking a little glimpse from the top of the waterfall
to the bottom, seeing some chimps in a tree trying
to tease me with there mockery. I felt like my heart
was going to stop after I soon worked out that it was
about a two hundred foot drop, shuddering Emmanuel
ushering me on assuring me that I will be all right. My
body was buzzing with determination as well as such
thrill with no chill of nerves and that's when I found
that this was meant to be!...


Taking a stride back enough for me to go at
an even pace my feelings neutral at an even
tide, taking a run up I race of and dive off
the waterfall, free falling as I feel the air
calling and pulling me down so fast, feeling
graceful also faithful! My face gently hitting
the water as I embrace myself for the impact
with every part of me still in tact!...


Emmanuel waiting for me at the bottom, long
had I forgotten what it felt like to have a
moment like this where you really feel like
your living your life that are always worth
chasing for! Approaching Emmanuel he spoke
“You did that with such pride now you have
earned and deserve your prize! Come we
must take you to Aunnel for your initiation
and celebration!”...


Arriving back at camp, thriving too see what
this would all be about. Emmanuel taking me
to Aunnel as we enter his hut, Emmanuel
introducing me too Aunnel saying “This is
our ritualist he will give you your mark only
you will be able too see it, now are you ready
Samuel for your ritual this is something we
take seriously so don't ridicule it!”...


Aunnel taking my arm telling me I mean no
harm by this but we need a little for sacrifice
and with that Aunnel nipped my arm with a
knife as he let my flood of blood drip into
his pot as my wound soon quickly starts to
clot. Taking a sip of my blood out of his pot
he says too me “Your blood has a great length
of strength in, with mine combined it will define
your mark and bless you with such a shrine full
of wisdom!”...


Adding a few dried leaves and seeds he believes
would fill me with such great beliefs, soon after
he starts humming, focusing numbing out everything
else around him, aiming all his energy at his pot as it
soon starts flaming! Smoke surrounds the ground as he
shouts chants out too his lost and found ancestors, no
time for the restless only for wrestlers so you could say
that have there way to tackle and topple
anything against nature!...


Looking down at my arm locked on too it
as if it was a target, I was entirely shocked
as I watch my mark form in this ritual storm,
I felt so drawn and sworn too this like I'd been
reborn! As everything came to a gradual halt
Aunnel gave me his pot and told me “To
complete your mark you must toke and hold
back the remaining smoke this way you will
be gaining your own skill that you will be able
to draw power from within the trees!”...


Deeply inhaling the smoke holding it back as
I feel it spread around my body and embed it's
thread in me with my genetics and ethics changing.
I wondered what skill in me I was unveiling would
I be a warrior with the will to kill no matter how
much blood has been spilt or a shaman stopping
anything wilt from nature or could I be some sort
of hybrid led and taught to learn both ways nor
would I kid about this!...


Aunnel telling me “Now your mark is formed
the more it will grow when you show too nature
a good deed to protect it against the living and it
will reward you with great skill and power that you
may shower against anything that may try harm nature,
nature can be a great creature in its own way!”...


Getting up that next day with Lola feeling so
free up within my own tree, I was now known
as a tree walker, a stalker in the dark taking
anything out that may lurk around the corner!
A smirk on my face more than ever, never had
I wanted to endeavour in world so much as this!
Emmanuel meeting me giving me a speech telling
me that if you wish to stay here Samuel then theirs
no need to preach about it too me, with that choice
given too me in my hands I listened too my rightful
voice coming to a decision quickly with no decisive
incision against it!


Making up my own ten commandments I
swore upon them I would keep and make
such a great demand on them to leap forth
when a challenge arises no matter what sort
of disguises it may be in to fool me, I would
be there when ever my people need it, a call
away to pull back what ever lingers to where
it came from, shut tight against it's own darkest
hinges, kept well contained as well as retained
and restrained, in that time I'd never stop being
trained for each day I would of gained a different
sort of element to use that I could learn to control,
this is what I now yearned for and earned, awoken
with a great well spoken companion...

SJ