After a long walk I come down to the shore.

A cottonwood tree lies stretched out in the grass.

This tree knocked down by lightning —

and a hollow the owls made open now to the rain.

Disasters are all right, if they teach

men and women

to turn their hollow places up.

The tree lies stretched out

where it fell in the grass.

It is so mysterious, waters below, waters above,

so little of it we can ever know!

–Robert Bly