A Tree Takes Root

To Name The Trees

I grew up among the trees
To a little girl looking up
They seem to extend forever tall to touch the sky
My whole world fell within their shadow

Now, Daddy, he's a sawyer - a woodman through and through
And he made sure I knew all he could do
Together, we memorized the trees
Pointing out the types, he'd quiz me
As we walked through the forest
Stopping to give a lesson when I couldn't remember

Maple, oak, and ash were always the easiest to find
Their leaves give them away
But there's also
Cedar, spruce, and pine
Oak, walnut, and willow
Elm, hickory, and cherry
Basswood, beech, and birch

They all look different from the outside
Different bark and different leaves and different berries
And, when you fell the trees,
Each have different scents when cut open
Even the sawdust that falls to the ground when the work is done
Powders the earth with different colors

But all these grow together in one great forest
Mixing and reaching together to create one canopy
It covers my home and stretches beyond
And, in fall, their different leaves burst bright with color
Always the most striking right before they drop
As a child I never appreciated how beautiful that was

Growing up, our house was nestled in acres upon acres of trees
Hidden from the outside
We existed in our own little world
But then I grew older and ventured out
To see cities far and wide
So different from what I once knew   

Yet, wherever I travel, I still walk down the street
I run my hands along the bark
That covers the few trees standing in the city park
I reach up to catch the leaf as it twirls to the ground
And I use that knowledge Daddy taught me long ago
To name the trees

And, no matter where I wander,
I never feel far from home