My love of Trees

I kept 

looking

at that Birch

tree.

It had big 

green leaves.

and the trunk

and 

branches

were a marble 

swirl

of 

white 

and black.

My momma

used to sit under

this tree

as a little

girl.

I now

sit under

this tree.

looking at

it with

my big 

brown

eyes.

This is

the first 

tree I 

fell in love

with.

I remember

peeling

the bark

off the tree.

finding

it amazing.

This tree had 

so many people

before

me sit under it.

it had

things

carved into it.

My grandmother 

came out

and scolded

me for peeling

the bark back.

You will kill

that tree..

stop it! She

came out of

the house like

a bolt

of lightening.

I started to

cry.

It scared me.

She scared me.

She held my

hand and brought 

me to the steps

of her house.

I am sorry

she said.

A tree is 

a living

thing.

If you need

to use

it be respectful.

You can use it.

I want you to know

that having a tree in

your life is a good

thing.

Its powerful.

Scaring that tree is

something you can

never take back...

Do you understand that?

She looked down 

at me and gave me

a hug.

I Looked at the tree

and back at my

grandmother

who I loved.

The sun was 

beating down

on the tree

so beautifully.

I responded

quickly,

Yes,

When something

living

is in your life

you should

be repectful and 

never scar it

Yes.

she smiled.

But,

grandma...

I ask.. Isnt the

house made 

from trees?

Yes,

she laughed.

But we did not

scar it and leave 

it damaged

and unloved.

We made it

our home,

our temple.

And we filled

it with

 love.

Oh,

I see.

I said.

And that

day

I remember 

going over

and

hugging

the tree.

I whispered. 

I am sorry.

I will fill you

with love.

The wind

rustled

in my 

ear..

and to 

this day

I swear,

I heard that

tree 

say...

And 

I will

fill you with love.

And so

it was done.