Heather Herrington: Joiner 1991

I Heard it Said...©

I heard it said that trees ain't fond of people,
that may be true, cause
was I a tree, I wouldn't care for people
burning, chopping, cutting, clipping, pruning
and spraying me with God knows what
and messing with my roots and
skirting round about me with concrete.
Nope, was I a tree, I wouldn't care for people.

And some folks claim that trees have feelings,
that may well be, but was I a tree,
I wouldn't care for feelings--
Was I a tree with feelings,
I'd get plumb tired
of birds a-twittering and a-picking
at my leaves and such
to build a nest to raise some younguns
that twitter, pick and poop and screech
all through the day--
and excavate and drill and poke
around my innards.
Was I a tree, with feelings,
I wouldn't care for birds.

And was I a tree with feelings
I'd plumb detest the squirrels
that jump and climb and scratch and scurry
and use me for a freeway.
Was I a tree, with feelings
I'd sure detest the rain
all wet and cold and chilling me
right down to my roots.
And lightning!-- how I'd dread the lightning
just a-flashing and a-threatening
to shock me right to death.

I'd hate the winter and the snow
with me a-standing naked, shorn of leaves--
just my thin bark to shield me--
Was I a tree, I'd surely hate the winter.
Come to think of it, was I a tree,
I wouldn't care for nothing.

Maybe for the tree, it's best not to have feelings,
not to be vexed and worried
by the people and the critters that surround it--
Maybe for the tree-- and just as well for me--
To put aside the feelings and just BE--
(And thank the Lord Almighty
My lot in life was not to be a tree.

Beverly Hearn Cook