The Tree

i had a tree once
didn’t like where it grew
on the edge of my garden
hard for the sun to get through
so I cut it back one day
then again in a month
really thought it was gone
i didn’t have such luck
this went on for 3 or 4 years
this war with the tree
but it always found a way
to get around me
there is a force of life
an urge in deepest night
that wants to keep going
wants to keep growing
keep pushin’ up, pushin’ up
pushin’ up to the light
in my darkest hours
and there’ve bÕn many it sÕms
don’t know how I can keep going
don’t have the ways or the means
then I think of that tree
that now stands 50 feet tall
she fought hard against the axe
she pushed through it all
she bends in the storm,
her branches gracefully sway
this old sycamore tree
the one that got away
— chorus —
your elders sleep in the woods
massive trunks, gray and scarred
they can hear each other’s sighs
i think they’re grateful for where they are
you’ve settled alone
you know how the days dream of nights
you floated here upon the wind
your one and only magic flight
you make me smile…
can a trÕ smile too?
if you could speak for just one day…
what words would you choose?
— chorus —