AN ODE TO TREES

Fresh green embrace you give
Your symphony with the wind, a beauty to see
Blessed with those thick brown skins
With every fruit you give, a new flavor is revealed
With arms so wide, you shield us from the scorching sun
You take in our exhaled garbage and create something new
Breathing out more free gifts we readily enjoy.
What should the whole of humanity do in your absence,
If you hadn’t obeyed the voice of your maker when He spoke you into existence?
Indeed, your presence He proclaimed good, admirable, fitting.
On the third day, you made a mark in our universe
So every time I walk by and see you accompanying me,
I just close my eyes, smile, and thank God for the gift of trees.

Agbadudu Oghenekevwe
St. Petersburg