Trees
Joyce Kilmer
“I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth’s flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.”
We lost our once-beautiful Bradford pear last week and I’m almost in mourning! We’ve planted many a tree since we first became homeowners, and this ornamental pear wasn’t even one we planted ourselves. It was here when we moved to this house more than five years ago. But it was a beauty, and Ken and I were both extremely fond of it.
I think maybe Kansans appreciate trees more than most people since we don’t have an abundance of them here on the prairie. Our pear tree gave us many years of enjoyment, lovely shade, amazing color in all seasons, and it was home to hundreds of birds and squirrels over the years. We’ll miss it!
We watched in amazement as a tree that took decades to get this tall, came down limb by limb in less than thirty minutes. And the tree guys had the yard raked and cleaned up in a few more minutes until you could hardly tell a giant tree had once stood in that spot.
I’ve been thinking about why it’s so sad to see something as ordinary as a tree die, and it struck me that memories are part of the reason. Ken and I loved watching the birds splash in the bird bath and take seed from the bird feeder that hung from a low-hanging branch. Our grandkids love to help Papa feed the birds and squirrels and laughed at the photo we captured of a squirrel “skating” on the frozen bird bath one winter.
That tree told the seasons better than the TV weathermen, breaking all the rules by wearing white long before Easter some years, and literally making us ooh and aah when it put on its autumn finery.
Its loss leaves a gaping hole in our backyard. But I noticed something: that gaping hole also opened a view to some pretty wonderful sights. The neighbors’ pretty trees and flowers, the “creek” (actually a drainage ditch) that gives our house a waterfront view and attracts geese and ducks to entertain us. Maybe now, our quirky leaning apple tree will be able to grow straighter, not having to stretch out of the shadow of the pear tree to get the sun it needs. We think that little redbud tree we transplanted from the front entry garden might really see a growth spurt now.
I noticed something else while I was looking for pictures of our much-photographed tree: lovely as that tree was, it had gotten so big that when it was in bloom or leaf, it almost completely blocked our view of the gorgeous sunrises we get here in Kansas.
So now that we have wide-open vistas to the east, just look what greeted me Saturday morning:
One more silver lining: When they came back to grind the stump, we ended up with a lovely pile of much-needed (and free!) mulch that will beautify and nourish the rest of our trees and flowerbeds. A final gift from our Bradford Pear.
We may replace the tree, but it won’t be with a big tree (especially since we discovered it is NOT cheap having a huge tree removed! Ouch!) And we’ll make new memories with that tree, too. And we’ll watch it grow, in awe, because “…only God can make a tree.”
If you could plant a new tree this year, what variety would you choose? Share your favorite and why it’s your favorite.
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Beautiful. We had two in our front yard and lost both of them on the same night due to straight line winds. They are so pretty. (and smell so bad) ❤️😊
LOL! The blossoms do smell horrible! One more silver lining. Thanks, Marti. And I’m sorry you lost your trees. 🙁
I love maples because of their beauty in the fall. Especially the orangey red ones that produces a color that resembles a fire 🔥 flame. Another tree I have always enjoyed is the weeping willow. So graceful and beautiful.
I love maples, too. Fall colors are SO gorgeous!
My husband recently took down a dying dogwood tree outside our bedroom window. I plan to put a ginkgo tree there when my hubby finishes digging the stump (his choice!😛). I love its yellow foliage in the fall, and I read they are carefree trees!
Oh, yes! I love the look of ginkgo trees too. Not sure if they grow well in Kansas. I rarely see them.
We have lots of lovely magnolias and oaks. We did plant a flowering magnolia with the beautiful pink blooms and are so encouraged by its early blooming each spring. We tried planting an apple tree, which died from a blight, and a peach tree, which the squirrels use as a jungle gym and a source of snacks. Consequently we don’t harvest many of the peaches. So, if I were to replace it, I think I’d select an orange tree, which grows well in our climate.
I feel your pain, Suzanne! We have an apple tree and a pear tree and we rarely get enough fruit from them even to make one pie, thanks to the birds and squirrels snacking before the fruit can even ripen! 🙁
I love that poem, and your pictures are beautiful! You have certainly looked on the bright side.
We built our house 24 years ago, and I gradually worked on landscaping the yard. One of the trees I planted is a cherry tree so we could enjoy spring blossoms. Since my husband worked weekends, I was digging the hole when my neighbor came out and finished it. He then referred to the tree as “our tree”, and occasionally would talk about how “our tree” was doing. We have very unpredictable weather, living on the Virginia coast. It could be 70 in January and snow a few days later. I babied that tree in its first few years. One warm February it came into full bud, and then a freeze was predicted. I climbed a step ladder to put plastic bags over the branches, and my neighbor came out to help. Then in 2003, Hurricane Isabel came through and split my beautiful tree so that only about a fourth of it was left standing, at a very weird angle. By the next spring, it had sprouted in many places, and now it is huge. So it’s not just true that “only God can make a tree”, but only God can save a tree.
I love your new view, and the sky is gorgeous!
What an awesome story, Betty! And all the hardship makes your tree all the more special!
I had a silver leaf maple that was beautiful and gave lots of shade. or if you want something that would give back, try a pecan tree.
Shelia, we had a walnut tree on the farm where I grew up and it’s one of the most memorable trees of my life. Then, after my sister was killed in a car accident, my parents planted a silver leaf maple on the farm in her honor.
I would love to have either a fruit tree or a pecan tree. I love picking up pecans from the trees. Even a walnut tree would be nice. Of course one has to be quicker than the birds and squirrels.
So true about the birds and squirrels…and yet, they provide a LOT of entertainment too! 🙂
We used to have a mulberry tree, but it died a long time ago. If we could plant a tree this year, we’d get another one of those because the berries are so tasty. 🙂 (Now, if we could REMOVE a few trees, we’d get rid of the five walnut trees in the yard that throw huge, heavy nuts at us in the fall, which we then trip over as they rot and poison the ground. :/)
We had a walnut tree AND a mulberry tree on the farm where I grew up. My mom didn’t like the mulberry because of what the birds did with it 😉 and my dad didn’t like the walnut because of trying to mow with those big ol’ nuts all over the yard. I loved the both! 🙂
I love weeping willow trees. When I was a young girl, our family lived on a street with lots of weeping willows. Special memories. My second fav is the crabapple tree. Beautiful blossoms. Bad thing is that as a young girl, I would eat the crabapples until my tummy hurt. haha!
Oh my! I didn’t even know you COULD eat crabapples! I always thought their name was so funny, but maybe there was a reason for that “crabby” name! 😉
My dad was a forester. He often quoted that Joyce Kilmer poem–but more often, sang the vocal version. He was promoted to heaven in 2017 and is enjoying the true tree of life, with twelve fruits- for the healing of the nations!Thanks for your words on the preciousness of trees!
Oh, I LOVE that your dad SANG the poem! I didn’t know there was a song version! I’ll have to look that up! I’m sorry you lost your dad, but such a blessing to know that he’s with the Lord and enjoying more beauty than we can even imagine!
Awww! I love trees! I think I would plant a pin oak. Lovely shape and colors!
I love the fact that oak trees live so long! Probably rare to lose one of those! And yes, the colors!!
I first heard/learnef the poem Trees when I was in grammer school in the 40s. And I have loved it all these years.
I would plant a babcock peach tree as I love the fresh fruit.
I’ve long loved that poem, too, Maureen. And a Babcock peach sounds wonderful!
We actually planted a tree this year, a pink dogwood. I can not wait to watch it grow. Until then, I enjoy being able to see, from our bedroom, if the flag is down on the mailbox since the bush where we planted the tree blocked our view.
Ah, that mailbox flag is an important consideration! 🙂
A word of caution when planning your tree purchase…be sure to research how their root system works!!! Isaiah and I planted a River Birch together for his 5th birthday…it started out as a 2′ tall spindly looking stick and grew by leaps and bounds into a soaring 50 to 60′ tall and probably about a 40′ canopy with graceful limbs that bow down to the ground…BUT…I did NOT know that not all their roots go underground…many of them like to stretch out barely covered across the yard…not good when it comes to mowing the lawn!! I found the same thing to be true of the maples we planted. I love the Redbuds, Dogwoods, and Tulip trees…we only have one Bradford Pear and it has reached the point (after about 30 years of growth) where it has split in the middle…a common problem with them.
By the way…I love the poem you quoted…it’s one of the poems I had to memorize in elementary school and I still remember most of it all these years later…Memorization was a BIG thing when I was in school!!!
Me too on the memorization, Margie! Oh, how I wish I could learn things as quickly now! I can still quote all the poems and Scriptures I memorized as a kid, but wow, learning new ones is a challenge!
Oh, the poem…….brought back such memories!!! When I was a freshman or sophomore in high school I was in a ladies sextet that took first place at music contest so we got to go to State. We sang that song “Trees” and we wore (guess what?!) border skirts with trees all around!!! That was quite the thing back then and we thought we had cornered the market on creativity! Have always loved the poem and the song made of it.
Oh, I love that image, Jeanie! I can almost picture those skirts! What a fun memory!
What a fabulous post!
The poem was my fathers favorite and he was known to break out with a loud rendition of it while we were discussing trees.
Actually, I enjoy the Bradford Pear in Treasure Island Demonstration Garden in Windsor, Colorado when I get to work there and have thought one would be lovely in our front yard. They do get large so we may have to settle for a smaller Hawthorn instead.
I love this memory of your father’s loud recitation! Thanks for sharing, Jen! My mom’s dad beautifully recited old poetry and my dad’s dad wrote poetry…usually odes to people, which were often quite funny and clever and grammatically incorrect. 🙂
Recently I’ve fallen in love with horse chestnut trees (also known as buckeyes). While many only associate the tree with it’s Ohio roots, I’ve found the leaves are absolutely gorgeous and the nuts a unique plaything for the young and the young at heart. Thank you for your beautiful post! I’ve been known to cry over dead trees, so I completely feel the pain of your loss. And it’s so wonderful that you’ve found a way to honor it anew.
Awww! So nice to hear from a fellow tree-crier! 🙂 And I love the buckeyes too!
I have mourned the loss of trees before! In fact we lost a big one recently as well – a huge old tree, at least 50-60 years old. In mourning indeed! However, the silver lining for me was finding out from the man who felled it that the other ancient trees on our property (one that’s probably at least 100 years old) are in good health. Feeling your loss, but what an incredible view!
Thanks for feeling along with me, Colleen! And wonderful news that your other trees are in good health! Trees are truly blessings from the Creator!
We live pretty much in the middle of a forest in the Pacific northwest, so there’s certainly no shortage of trees! However, my heart’s desire is to plant a crepe myrtle in our front yard. They’re so beautiful. If we do plant one, I really hope our resident deer won’t find it tasty.
Hi Lisa, I hope you can get that crape myrtle to grow! They are so beautiful!
My husband has forbidden me to plant any more lemon trees! There is nothing more sweet smelling than a lemon tree in bloom!
When we lived in NY as newlyweds, my boss had a lemon tree growing on his windowsill. I absolutely loved that tree and always wished I could grow one. Maybe I’ll give it a try yet…forty-some years later. 🙂 But in Kansas, it’ll have to be indoors.
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I grew up in Michigan and always enjoyed the maple trees and their beautiful autumn colors, as well as many other kinds of trees that grew there. My husband’s job moved us to a suburb of the Philadelphia area in Pennsylvania, and we enjoyed the many varieties of trees there. In the springtime, people would drive for miles around to enjoy the dogwood trees at Valley Forge which was just a few miles from us. Then his job took us to California where we enjoyed many “new to us” trees and abundant fruit trees. How we loved going to the Sierras to see the mighty Sequoias and Redwoods. We’re retired now & live in central Texas where we enjoy oaks and other trees. We have deer on our property and enjoy the beauty of watching the fawns each spring. Sorry I made this so long.