The Song of Trees

Can you hear the song of trees breathing life into our world?

The rainforest, the community of Trees!

 

 

Preface

 

A poem inspired by the Albert’s Café Contest: “When the trees sing, what really matters is knowing that the trees are singing at all." (UNOFFICAL ENTRY)  The inspiration of the contest was a poem of Mattie J. T. Stepanek, a boy that was an accomplished poet and who died at a very young age, just 3 weeks shy of his fourteenth birthday.  Here is the poem that is the inspiration for the contest:

 

          When the trees sing,

          It doesn’t really matter

          If you know the song,

          Or if you know the words,

          Or even if you know the tune.

          What really matters is knowing

          That the trees are singing at all.      --from Hope Through Heartsongs (2002; page 35)

 

In the world today, we are in serious jeopardy of losing the rain forest and the trees that are so essential to our world and continued life on this planet. So please excuse my “cheating” on this contest. I have not used the specified lines in my poem, but I am taking Mattie’s poem as my inspiration. Because, as he so aptly put it, “when the trees sing”, it is not really important that you understand the song or the details, “what really matters is knowing / that the trees are singing at all.”

 

            Best regards,

 

                        Rick

 

 

The Song of Trees

 

Deep from their roots,

Deep from the soil,

Tree’s song of Life does call.

With strength of earth and falling rain,

Tree voices nourish all!

 

Hark to their speech

And praise their words

Through thundering of the storm.

Tree’s Leaf and Bark sing melodies,

Life’s magic to perform!

 

Through vital Leaf

Condense the Sun--

A source of Power most pure!

It is the root of the World’s Life--

Of emptiness the cure!

 

Such miracles!

How wonderous!

Tree’s gift to Life unfolds:

It’s Nature’s power manifest--

A rite of Life most old!

 

Deep from their roots,

Deep from the soil,

Trees breathe their life to earth--

A treasure so immeasurable,

It gives all life its birth.

 

 

 

 

 

©2008, Richard Puetter

All rights reserved

 

 

Reviews

[Samuel Dickens]

Is there another plant on earth more important to our existence than the tree? I don't think so. Nor is there one so majestic, beautiful or seemingly wise. As much or more so than any other life-form, they are our brethren and should be protected at all cost.

[Anthony M Smith Jr]

Tree's are one of the most instrumental in Creation. I believe that this type of life force has many replications in everything. To us human beings we would not exist for a tree filters our air,water,food,medicines and this is just the tip of the iceberg. I hold the tree's in high regard and use them in my belief to the Creator as a portal. I really enjoyed your words and felt the meaning and assured me in knowing I am not the only human being who thinks this way.

[JC]

I don't know how the voting turned out but I think this is an excellant companion to the original.

We never really truly appreciate nature, until it is gone and mostly at man's hands.


Kudos on an excellant read.

JC

[Legion]

I like this. I listen to them often. This reminds me a bit of a few pieces of mine. "Giant of the Earth" and "Glyphs and the Horror THEY Bring". Somewhat anyway. Good write.

[~*~Peace Keeper~*~]

A wonderful poem...i love it.
Great Job

[theludus]

It's put together quite well, Rick

The thing is it's a bit of a one note song, and yes... it's a pleasant enough note, however I feel if there is a message to be taken from this poem it would be better addressed by using light and shade moments. This poem doesn't make me want to go out and sponsor a tree, and in a lot of ways that's a shame. I think people tap into work that is as deep and varied as we are, and for me at least, that's what makes poetry so compelling. Feel good is good, and has its place, but I feel you could have approached the subject matter from stronger angles.

DB

[S. A. Venus]

a very good tribute to nature and its foundations within us all

[Aurora Night]

Good, poem ,but for some reason i didn't get any feeling out of it.

[ljc]

Enjoyed the majestic theme . Your poem has a majestic and tenderness about it. It has a feeling of antiquity as well as the freshness of the present. A lovely dedication to a marvel that gives us so much.

[Alaska Frost]

Excellent write! How very true that all life comes from plants.
"Deep from their roots,
Deep from the soil,
Trees breathe their life to earth-
A treasure so immeasurable,
It gives all life its birth."

^my favorite stanza!
It gives a sense of nurturing on the trees' part
It is a very beautiful poem. Great job! :)
-Alaska

[Max]

Another great one. It is true that we must preserve nature, for we cannot live without it.
Great poem. Your consistency with your meter is astounding in all your poems that I've read so far. No awkward lines like I usually see in many poems (including my own). Great job again.