The Beauty of a Tree

I love trees. There are so many varieties producing everything from shade to food, building materials and shelter. Like people, some are short and stout and some are tall and slender. Also like people they all possess an individual beauty and their leaves and branches are all nourished by the same roots.

New Mexico does not have an abundance of green grass, but we do have an interesting assortment of trees. The above photos show off a few. The top is a fall photo of the Aspen on Mt. Taylor; the middle photo is of my favorite Willow tree in our local park and the bottom photo is of a determined tree growing from a boulder on the Sand Bluffs in Cibola County,overlooking a lava bed.

When I thought of writing a post on trees I couldn’t help remembering the poem “Trees” that I first heard centuries ago. The beautiful poem was written by Joyce Kilmer 1886-1918. How fitting that her words were written so many years ago. I think it is a positive message to all of us writers who sometimes wonder if anyone is really listening to what we have to say. You just never know how many times your words are going to be repeated or how many people they might help. So my message is just keep doing what you are doing!

Trees
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth’s flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.