To Be a Tree

August 13, 2013January 17, 2014 Sherry - Petite Over 40Balboa Park, balboa park in san diego, balboa park san diego, nature, poetry, Sherry Dryja, to be a tree

Balboa Park tree in San Diego, California. — Photo by SR Dryja at Balboa Park, San Diego.

By Sherry Dryja

I want to be a tree,
rooted and sure in my earthy ground,
reaching out to the sun with my branches,
tantalizing the world with my blossoms,
winking at the birds with my fluttering leaves,
providing homes to birds and squirrels and possums.

I want to be a tree that is,
that just is,
exactly a tree
and only that
perfection of trunk
and bark
and branches
and long roots
and gnarls
and twigs
and leaves–
glorious leaves which almost sing when the wind blows through them.

And when I die,
when my roots grow weak
and they loosen from the ground,
when the day comes that I can no longer stand straight and tall,
I want to be blown over by the wind
and land hard and fast on the ground
to become regal but hollowed-out homes for other creatures,
feeding the earth with my remains,
and know that my life mattered because I lived.

Tree roots, Balboa Park, San Diego — Roots of a tree in Balboa Park in San Diego. Photo by SR Dryja.

7 thoughts on “To Be a Tree”

Pam Laskowski says:

Beautiful, Sherry.

August 13, 2013 at 4:49 pm Reply
1. SR Dryja says:
  
  Thank you, Pam! 🙂
  
  August 13, 2013 at 4:51 pm Reply
karen brode says:

Sherry, what an interesting poem. I wish I could write poetry like you!

August 13, 2013 at 4:58 pm Reply
1. SR Dryja says:
  
  But Karen, you already write beautifully! You could write anything you wanted.
  
  August 13, 2013 at 4:59 pm Reply
Chef Randall (@savorthefood) says:

I love trees. I have 8 on my small property here in Idaho. Great photography as well.
My passion is cooking and I would like to invite you to view my Savor the Food ( http://www.savorthefood.com ). I would like to give you a FREE e-book..”Breakfast for Your Health” for just stopping by (write “free e-book” in subject on contact form). A busy person such as yourself needs a good breakfast with that java in the morning (e-book has recipes and explains reasons why not to skip breakfast; including benefits of drinking coffee).

Thanks again for sharing this post and I look forward to future posts from Jet Planes and Coffee.

Randall
http://www.savorthefood.com

August 15, 2013 at 1:44 pm Reply
1. SR Dryja says:
  
  Thanks for stopping by, Chef Randall! Your website looks great, especially for new cooks needing step-by-step instructions on how to make delicious food like cheesecake!
  
  August 23, 2013 at 1:31 pm Reply
  1. slendid recipes says:
    
    Thanks for stopping by my site Dryja. If you clicked the Food Facts tab you would find facts about food, its nutrition to a healthy life. Savor the Food not only offers how to’s or step-by-step but also information about foods you can still eat if you suffer from a life long illness (ex. gout, high blood pressure etc.). We are adding to the list as we gather information. Right now we are working on Aspergers and Autism.
    
    Today we did change from Savor the Food to Savor the Food and Your Health.
    
    Hope you consider to stopping by again and please recommend us to others. I would like to give you a FREE e-book for stopping by. (16-page – Breakfast for Your Health”). Just let me know on our Contact Us tab were to send it.
    
    I look forward to future posts from Jet Planes and Coffee and Thanks again for your time and consideration.
    
    Randall
    http://www.savorthefood.com
    
    August 23, 2013 at 9:12 pm Reply