“I think that I shall never see / A poem lovely as a tree.”

– Joyce Kilmer, “Trees,” 1913

This just in: Trees are important.

You can’t move around international mythology, folklore or history without bumping into a tree. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil…the Bodhi Tree…George Washington and the cherry tree…Tree of Life…Newton and the apple tree…Joyce Kilmer’s sentimental yet oft-quoted “Trees”…and what do you think Arbor Day celebrates?

Trees are intertwined in our consciousness, inspiring verse, song and legend. Might as well embrace the fact that we’re treehuggers, whether we like it or not, so let’s do our best to protect our trees.

They’ve been pretty good to us, and at least they give us something to talk about. And the oxygen to do so.

Alfalfa, Blog Action Day, language, Our Gang, poetry, trees, writing