Here I stand on public display.
In my choice of home,
I have no say!
Wherever my roots travel,
That’s where I lay.
One hundred springs, summers, autumns, and winters — I have survived.
I stand with pride, thankful to be alive.
Filtering pollution and
breathing life into the air is my gift to you.
Keeping the skies a perfect blue.
Birds wake me with their tuneful song. In a chorus, they happily cheep and chirp. A joyful, uplifting start to the day.
They soar, glide, and fly gracefully above my head.
As they search for food to feed their young. Seeking earthworms and even crumbs of bread.
Their wind from their wings cause my leaves to rustle, sending a delightful shiver throughout my spine. A spiritual feeling that is hard to define.
I make myself taller, sending my branches upwards, towards the skies. It is my way of saying thank you to the pigeons, gulls, ravens, and magpies.
I have witnessed many natural disasters over the years,
Floods and fires are the cause of many tears.
Homes that are washed clearly away, cars that are tossed like a feather so light.
The waters gather in vast quantities, rolling through towns and villages at great speed and with great might.
Leaving devastation behind in their wake.
The most worrying for me, though,
Is of course, a fire out of control.
It scorches my bark and burns my soul.
I feel the heat as it flickers and leaps up my trunk.
My bark is blackened, pieces fall to the floor,
In charred chunks.
Sap seeps out of me, bleeding into the soil.
The moss and lichen nearby will at least feed on my oil.
By day, people lay blankets at my feet.
Laying before me their wholesome treats.
Pies, sandwiches, jars of pickles, and slices of meat.
Samosas, wraps, hummus, fruit, and veggie sticks. A smorgasbord of treats.
During times like this, I dream of having a mouth to consume and savour food. It brings joy and laughter, lightening the mood.
Many celebrations of life have been toasted under the shade of my leaves.
My world has hosted whole families struggling to grieve.
On display, cakes of many tastes and sizes
celebrating ages from low to high numbers.
Are all consumed at the base of my lumber.
This year. I am pleased to say, has been uneventful.
And for that, I am truly thankful.
As autumn turns into winter,
I shed my leaves.
Humans retreat to the warmth of their homes.
I stand here, mostly alone.
Waiting for spring to burst its way through the cold. Bringing with it colour and warmth and,
most importantly,
Bringing you back outdoors to spend your days with me.
This is the life of an ancient deciduous tree.