Bernheim Forest Giants

Bernheim Forest, Kentucky, USA

2019

Commissioned by Bernheim Arboretum.

 

"It was a cold winter, but the snow felt warm 
He woke up with eyes closed and heard himself yawn
His name was Isak Heartstone, on the mountaintop of them all
A name they gave him when small – now he was 36 eels tall

Still a young giant, only 700,051 years 
Already a father to two,
full of eyes, full of tears
full of love he was, but felt alone on the mountain
So he walked down to the forest, in the forest he found them

His two beautiful children, little Elina, Nis
And their mama Loumari, a big hug, and a kiss
They spent the winter together while the weather got better
Elina looked at the sky – and from the sky fell a feather

It was a sign of good luck and a fertile forest
Where all had a place, from the smallest to the tallest
They made a circle of life, for they’d soon have a brother
It’s good luck for a baby, when it sleeps in the mother

Some of wood, some of stone, some of sun, some of seeds
Some of quartz, some of leaves and what fell from the trees
A dragon skull he found 200,000 years ago
It was a symbol of strength, so the baby would grow

But now the ice was melted, and Isak looked to the mountain
He knew he had to go back and put his big arms around them
A hug and a kiss, Nis, Elina, Loumari
'I’ll be back again soon' he yelled, walking the prairie
"