Farewell to Shade

I am an old, old maple
And I have shaded this house since it was born
I am strong, I am stable
And I am beautiful, though weathered and worn

When I was born the trees stood ‘round me thick as thistle
My friends were hickory, locust, oak and pine
I was before the railroad’s whistle
I was before they hung the power line

Come sit beneath me now my child
The wind grows wild
But it will not blow you away
For I’ll stay straight and strong for as long as I can,
And when I’m gone
I’ll leave you with the memory of my shade

We grow old, we grow weary
We may be overgrown and covered with vines
Or we may be cut short before our time
At the whim of the man who hung the power line

Come sit beneath me now my child
The wind grows wild
But it will not blow you away
For I’ll stay straight and strong for as long as I can,
And when I’m gone
I’ll leave you with the memory of my shade

© 2014 Gregory J. Yoder