The Prayer of the Tree... anon

[trinkie]

The Prayer of the Tree
anon.

You who pass by and would raise your hand
against me, hearken ere you harm me,
I am the heat of your hearth on the cold
winter night, the friendly shade screening
you from summer sun.
And my fruits are refreshing draughts
quenching your thirst as you journey on.
I am the beam that holds your house, the
board of your table, the bed on which you
lie, the timber that builds your boat.
I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your
homestead, the wood of your cradle,
the shell of your last resting place.
I am the gift of God and the friend of man,
You who pass by, listen to my prayer and
Harm me not.

[Lavenderblue2]

What a lovely poem Trinkie thank you - it made me think of another poem about trees.

The Three Trees

Tall and stately the three trees stood
Close together, in the wood.
Years it had taken to make them grow,
Sun and wind and rain and snow;
Now they were ready, these beautiful trees,
Dreaming together of what they would be.

“I know what I’ll be”, said the first tall tree,
“When the woodman uses his axe on me.
I’ll be a cradle, carved and rare
To rock to sleep a baby fair,
A cradle fit for a royal house,
A beautiful cradle will be my choice”.

“What will I be?” murmured the second tree,
“I love the winds that blow over the sea;
A graceful ship with tall white sails,
And a cargo of spices and silk in bales;
Facing the storms, sailing the seas,
A beautiful ship, that’s what I’ll be”.

The third tree, tallest one of the three,
Looked over the forest to where he could see
Far in the distance, streets and roads,
People on foot, carts carrying loads;
“A signpost I’ll be to point the way,
A beautiful signpost, for that I’ll pray”.

The woodman came and the three trees fell,
And what they became is the story I tell;
They had dreamed of their future, what they wanted to be,
A beautiful cradle, a graceful ship, a signpost clear for men to see.
They were cut, they were carved, they were hammered and nailed,
But what they became? Seems their dreams had failed.

For the first tall tree was a manger stall
In a stable in Bethlehem town so small;
It was filled with straw for the cattle feed,
But once it fulfilled another’s need,
And three wise men their gifts did bring
To the manger which cradled a baby King.

The second tree’s future was spent on the sea,
As a strong fishing boat on Lake Galilee;
Owned by Peter and James and John
Who used it to fish in the early dawn.
And from it, a man called Jesus preached
To a crowd of five thousand upon a beach.

The third tall tree was roughly hewn,
And dragged to a hill at Jerusalem
By a Man who was wearing a crown of thorns;
This was the purpose for which He was born.
And the tree was the cross, which pointed the way,
A signpost to all of Christ’s victory.

[Kenn]

Many thanks both for the two very lovely but very different poems, enjoyed them both.