Whispers of a Willow: Poetry Conceived in the Wind
Swaying with the wind it brushes the long green boughs over the earth. Lush and beautiful, it mounted the air, cardinals perched on the platform from the highest branch to awaken the morn. Rooted in moist soil by the lake it stood strong for decades until the worst Ice Storm of the century hit in January of 2009. It was the largest Willow that I had ever seen.
A willow tree succumbs to the weight of the ice.
Needless to say, my heart sank when my husband called to inform me that the Willow was severely damaged by the storm. Tears welled in my eyes as my heart sank. I loved the Willow Tree! Was his excitement fueled by his obsession with the chainsaw or was the tree beyond salvaging? Confused, I asked for him to send me a picture. At first glance, I feared that he was correct, but told him to leave the tree alone.
On a warm day in early March, a neighbor came over with his long, pole saw to survey the damage. Reassuring me, he promised that the tree could be salvaged…so the intense pruning began! Split and severed was the fate of almost every branch of the tree, but I held my breath and said a prayer.
Arriving at the lake one month later, I pulled into the driveway and could not believe my eyes! Restored, the tree was bursting with fresh, new sprouts standing proud at the edge of the lake. Elated, I gazed at the green boughs flowing with April’s breeze. It was more picturesque than ever before especially when compared to the many unsightly stubs left from the ravages of the winter’s ice storm. When my eyes met the willow, and I heard the cardinal’s greeting from the lofty branch, I knew the story must be told and given its rightful passage on the printed page. This is the backdrop of my poem, The Willow. Its beauty is displayed on the cover of my book, Nature Sings.
The willow lives and breathes again.
While not everyone has a miracle story of the Willow, it is a very popular tree, and beloved by many. It has been a popular part of the herbal pharmacy with many cultures for centuries with over 400 species in the genus Salix growing around the world. The impact of the Willow on gardens, mythology and medicine is massive. Since this tree survives tough conditions and is easy to root from cuttings, or just a branch stuck in the ground, they bless us with their presence in many areas of the world.
Weeping Willow Legends
A native to Asia, the Weeping Willow is an icon and features prominently in their folktales and art. Legends from the ancient Chinese believed that willow branches would ward off evil spirits. It is said that the first weeping willow grew in Babylon where the Children of Israel were taken into slavery.
Psalm 137: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.” When they hung their harps on the willow tree, the branches were forever destined to 'weep' and grow downward.
Many notable sayings and practices were born around certain legends of the willow. One of the most common traditions today has its roots in an old Celtic custom. If you knock on a willow tree, it is said to send away bad luck and that is where the custom of 'touch wood' or 'knock on wood' originated. Europeans believed the wind in the willow leaves were elves who whispered and talked among themselves as people were passing underneath. Some people plant willows near their homes to ward off bad luck. Native Americans tied willow branches to their boats to protect them from storms and to their lodges for the protection of the Great Spirit.
This book is a good beginning for willow crafts.
Willow branches make great baskets and here's a set of basket-making tools to help you get started.
Willow Wood as a Medicine
Willows possess some powerful characteristics. Willow bark contains salicin, which is a natural form of aspirin, and has been used for thousands of years as a pain reliever and to reduce inflammation. Young willow twigs were also chewed to relieve pain. Scientists discovered the active ingredient (salicylic acid) responsible for the healing properties in the early nineteenth century. The meadowsweet plant also hosts this compound. From this the world’s first synthetic drug, acetylasylic acid, was developed. It was marketed as Aspirin, named after the old botanical name for meadowsweet, Spirea ulmaria.
Willow wood is also able to absorb trauma or shock without splitting and some of the best cricket bats and Dutch wooden shoes are made from willow. Carved from willow and popular wood, Dutch shoes were noted for their durability and the protection they offered from sharp objects and muddy fields. Since the wood is pliable, it is popular with basket-makers as well.
If you don't have any willows handy, here's natural, made in USA willow bark tincture.
Willows: A Perfect Choice for Butterfly Gardens
North American willows are a host plant for the Mourning Cloak butterfly and the catkins that bloom very early in the spring are one of the first pollen sources for honeybees. This makes them an excellent choice for helping our fragile pollinator population. Ancient Europeans and the Inuit of the Alaskan peninsula also made a type of porridge from the catkins and used them as food. Many early settlers discovered the catkins also produce a reddish dye. The willow was one of the most useful plants for these people as they developed the land.
Here's three different types of willow trees that are hardy in just about every garden.
Growing willow trees
After reading the miracle of my Willow tree you may want to grow your own. They are one of the easiest trees to take root…you will not be disappointed.
The Willow prefers a sunny area where the ground stays moist. Therefore, close to a pond, stream or lake is the perfect spot. Willows are planted for 'character' and the best ones are often bent and twisted. There are many willow species and commercial cultivars that are hardy in a wide range of climates. Here's a few options that our PlantScout vendors are offering. Of course, check with your local nursery to see what grows best in your area.
Enjoy the poem!
The sun rises on the willow by the lake.
The Promise
What verse might I pen
To tell of the beauty of your
Lush green boughs as they bow
And flow in the evening’s wind?
On this I must dream a while,
For faithful you have stood when
The billows raged and calmed again
Since I was just a child.
I remember that day so well
When, untimely, that storm came
And one by one your
Branches snapped and fell.
They told me you were done,
And oh how my heart grieved
And prayed for you to breathe
Again beneath the showers of sun.
A sweet promise you did hold,
A pearl just for me that
Brought such hope that only
My Lord and I did know.
Beneath your arches I stood,
On the eve of Spring, when I looked
To see your fresh green twigs
Just as I knew I would.
Twas then I heard the familiar voice
Of my red-feathered friend for
A new song we would sing as
By the lake we both rejoiced.
Once again you will sway
To the song of the breeze
When clouds gather and
Spread across the bay
To bring me comfort when I weep,
And rock me gently in the
Hammock down
Halls of peaceful sleep.