I saw a tree today, A tree that has stood for years, With roots deep in the ground, Branches stretching toward the sky.

Its leaves rustled a song, A quiet melody of time, Each leaf a story of sunlight, And here I stand, A mere shadow in its shade.

How many seasons it has seen, A witness to the rains and the sun, To life beneath and above, Yet its silent strength remains.

Here I ponder the life of trees, Their wisdom flows like sap, Grounded yet reaching, Never ceasing to grow.

• Richard Wright