My Poem "A Tree" at The Morton Arboretum

For over ten years, my poem "A Tree" could be read along Meadow Lake near the visitor center at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. It was written when I worked in the herbarium there. The poem was later published in my book Kairos.

Here's the poem.

A tree
is a treasure burst forth into the sky;
a fissured relic covered in emeralds
that change with the voice of equinox.

A tree
is a benevolent caretaker for the wild;
a framework of weathered arms
holding nests, refuge, and insect treats.

A tree
is a teacher of patience and endurance;
a primeval soul bearing the fruit and labor
of the illusion we call Time.

A tree
is our third parent of unconditional love;
a haven of cool shade and wonderment
beneath a sentry of leaves.