Families: Only God Can Make A Tree
I have not met anyone who has not experienced violence or loss within their family tree. And yet the tree survives! This poem is dedicated to all those family members who keep on loving, helping, and praying for their members. God will grow your tree!
1994 Winner of Inspirational Poetry Award from
Our Battered Family Tree
How wide our tree, how deep its roots!
We have known neglect, drought, floods,
tornado's efforts to uproot us, steel blades'
attempts to chop us down, and still, we stand!
Long ago--whether deliberate or accidental, I do
not know--we were planted in the soil, warmed
and scorched by the sun, refreshed by God's rains.
Birds built nests of life in our branches.
Critters brought seeds from other trees
and dropped them in our soil. Branches were
grafted in, adding to our divergent foliage,
while others, damaged, fell to the ground.
Soon we bore not only nuts and berries, but
succulent fruits and prickly cones and thorns.
Oh the history that could be told by our tough
bark, strong trunk, and hardy branches!
Taller trees tried to deprive us of warm rays,
tepid showers, and room to spread our branches;
Bushes tried to crowd us from the bottom, while
strong-toothed critters chewed on our wood.
We have survived acts of man, beasts and God.
We have reproduced, though often infested,
and our tree stands taller and generations wider.
Truly, the poet knows the secret to our strength:
2 comments:
Beautiful and very accurately depicted! Yes! Only God can make a tree, even a family tree. Personally, I love gnarled trees. They're infinitely more interesting than untouched trees.
Hello, Janelle! Although I don't know you, I DO know you from all the wonderful comments you have left on my Associated Content articles. You're a fan, and I'm so grateful for you.
God, alone, has the power to make a tree grow, not just survive. It's true in families, too. I have a passion for "weird" trees - the more gnarled, the better, and I love to photograph them. You and I share that passion! Again, thanks, dear friend, for commenting!