A tree
is not like you and
me – it waits around quite
patiently – catching kites and
dropping leaves – reaching out to touch
the breeze...A tree all day will stand and stare
clothed in summer, winter : bare – it has no shame
or modesty...Perhaps its generosity is the greatest in
the world – it gives a home to every bird, every squirrel,
feeds them too – to every dog it is a loo...And after dark
what does it do? Catch a falling star or two? Shimmy
in the old moonlight? Or maybe have a conker fight?
A tree can give an awful lot : the wood to make a
baby’s cot – pencils, paper, tables, chairs – lolly
sticks as well as stairs ...Without a tree we
could not live – a tree, it seems just
loves to give –
but us :
we
chop
we
take
we
burn
that’s
what we
do in return
is not like you and
me – it waits around quite
patiently – catching kites and
dropping leaves – reaching out to touch
the breeze...A tree all day will stand and stare
clothed in summer, winter : bare – it has no shame
or modesty...Perhaps its generosity is the greatest in
the world – it gives a home to every bird, every squirrel,
feeds them too – to every dog it is a loo...And after dark
what does it do? Catch a falling star or two? Shimmy
in the old moonlight? Or maybe have a conker fight?
A tree can give an awful lot : the wood to make a
baby’s cot – pencils, paper, tables, chairs – lolly
sticks as well as stairs ...Without a tree we
could not live – a tree, it seems just
loves to give –
but us :
we
chop
we
take
we
burn
that’s
what we
do in return
By James Carter.