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The Elder Tree
Writing prompt in my poetry class: write a poem.
The Elder Tree
There was a tree, a fine young chap.
Full of promise, full of sap.
His first year ere’ the ground was froze
he learned a lesson about growth—
An elder tree gave him advice
about the seasons of their lives.
The elder tree told him, “Now son,
the season’s over. Growing’s done.
You’ve grown a lot this season past;
Good job—you’ve come a long way fast.
Though hard is trunk and strong is bow,
it’s time to rest a season now.
Refill your sap, give roots relief.
Cast off the fruit and shed the leaf.”
The young tree liked his foliage thick
and thought with pride, “Why that old stick
is wrong! I’ll hold my leaves and will
have foliage even thicker still.”
“If you don’t mind, I do believe
that I should like to keep my leaves.”
So he was strong and held on tight.
He fought the wind all through each night.
But holding to what should be gone
would tire any tree ere’ long.
So he got tired, worn and sad
from toiling so, but yet he had
more leaves than any tree around,
though they were dead and dry and brown.
The elder tree saw it and said,
“Son, why hold on to what is dead?
Do you think you are supposed
to have leaves from next and last year both?
Learn from the others in our grove—
Nature’s course is your path to growth.”
And so the young tree looked around.
All others’ leaves had fallen down.
There limbs were bare, but he could see
that they we’re happier than he.
So he let go of all his leaves,
and all at once he felt relieved.
Then soon Spring came and buds appeared—
The tree laughed at what he once had feared
He now loved elder tree’s advice;
“Abounding follows sacrifice.”
And so he grew, for many years.
He lived to see new trees appear.
Saplings with new buds and leaves
now look to him—the elder tree.
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