Submitted by the Suffield Tree Committee
This month’s story “Soldier Trees” was submitted by Rita Chmura. If you have a story to tell, send it to treesforsuffield@gmail.com with “A Tree I Love” in the subject line.
Soldiers Standing
A group of trees grow in my yard
They stand like soldiers all on guard
They used to be such young cadets
A memory I won’t forget.
My soldiers stand from east to west,
Just beyond a grassy crest.
So tall, so strong, so dependable,
My trees are unforgettable
My trees don’t say to keep away.
Their silent message, “Come and play”.
“Where are my soldiers?”, you may ask.
All on duty, all on task.
Summer, fall, then winter, spring.
Bells of time, we hear them ring.
Seasons come and seasons gone.
Soldier trees just soldier on.
Soldier Seasons
My soldiers plump and fat in spring,
Holding nests and birds that sing.
With leaves that look like curly hair
One can’t help but look and stare.
Their summer branches give us shade.
We walk beneath in grand parade.
See them dancing in the breeze.
It’s summer, Soldiers. Be at ease.
When leaves of color are on display,
The soldiers feel a shortened day.
Anticipation is on its way
For autumn leaves soon gone astray.
But winter branches look like sticks.
Dark against low clouds so thick.
The Soldiers button up their wraps
Of blackened bark and sticky sap.
Soldiers Passing
I must salute my Soldier Trees
For duty given, their expertise
For standing tall in wind and rain
To guard the earth that we must maintain.
I trust that there will always be
My soldier force, a guarantee.
A better place our world would be
If every yard had Soldier Trees.
When my soldiers ever die
I am sure to grieve
But my old soldiers never die
They just take a leave.