Rooey's Book of Miscellaneous Things

The Tree

The

tree stood

tall and proud;

nothing was so green

and strong as he; nothing

stood in his way. Through winter

he remained a healthy green, a beautiful

sign of life against the dormant, barren

trees around him. He sheltered the birds

with his caring fronds and protective needles,

bracing against the freezing snow. Life flourished

around the ever-green branches as if it were the only tree

in the forest. Children flocked around the fir and threw

long lines of popcorn and ornaments around the celebrated

tree of life, and only when night arrived did the fir's

fame slowly die down to the quiet hush of sleeping life.

When spring arrived, the chilling whisper of winter

slowly faded into the melting snow. The tree was surrounded

by the blossoming branches of the re-awakening forest.

Their blooming flowers outshined the evergreen, whose branches

bowed in silent jealousy. People gathered around them to gawk,

ignoring the evergreen whom had proudly endured the harsh winter.

At last, spring faded into jubilant summer, replete with verdant grasses and

full leaves that cooled the forest floor. The evergreen liked the summer; all the trees

were equal then, none admired more than another. But when summer slowly

faded into fall, the autumn lit the forest on fire. Green leaves now burned red and yellow

and photographers flocked to admire the falling colors as they covered the forest floor.

Yet the evergreen remained, gloriously green and eternal, watching the humans

grow and change and admire the trees that grew and changed with them.

When winter returned, he would shine once again;

Lonely,

lovely,

always

green.

//  originally this poem was shaped like a tree, as seen in the cover image of this page.