In Memory of a Tree

The other day on AOl's cover page I saw a story about this 210 year old dutch elm tree that is about to be cut down and the 101 year old gent who has cared for it all these years. He looked in pretty good shape and explained that he cared for the tree for over 50 years and it had dutch elm blight 14 times and he saved it each time, but now he doesn't know of anyone who will care for it as his time is near too he said. The article didn't mention why no one else could care for it, but I bet it drew lots of takers.
The story reminded me of a song narrative I have by folk artist Tom Pacheco called The Tree Song which I want to share with you below. Pacheco said the tree told him the story and he just wrote it down. It's a poem he recites while a violin plays in the background and is very touching and beautiful. One of my favorites since I always love a big sprawling beautiful tree.

The Tree Song
by Tom Pacheco

Well good morning folks,come gather round this oak tree you have climbed,
I guess you 've all lost kites in my branches at one time,
I've seen a million sunsets and grown a trillion leaves
and every winter that ol' north wind comes and blows them right off me,
A million cats have climbed me, below me children play,
I won't tell you what the dogs do, but that's just nature's way.
People come and meet here when the midnight moon is high,
Some laugh and love all night, some just sit here and cry.
And once there was a murder, I was the only witness there,
And the wrong man went to prison, the killer was the mayor.
I could talk to you forever with the stories that I know,
Why just fifty feet below me there's a chest of pirate gold.
But now I see bulldozers and soon I'm gonna fall,
they're gonna pave this whole field for a brand new shopping mall.
I hope they use some of me for a fence or for a door,
ahh but you know they don't seem mto make things out of wood much anymore.
Anyway I'm happy because in the woods across the way,
there's a brand new oak tree growing from one of my own acorn seeds.