THE OAK TREE

THIS POEM IS A TESTAMENT TO THE STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW STRONG WE CAN BE UNTIL WE ARE FACED WITH TRIALS AND TRIBULATION OF INFINITE MAGNITUDE. THEN FROM SOMEWHERE DEEP INSIDE US, WE FIND THAT EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO SURVIVE WAS THERE ALL ALONG. MY WISH FOR YOU, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IS STRENGTH, PEACE, AND LOVE.

Watercolor by Linda DuBos


THE OAK TREE
By Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day.
It stole the Oak Tree's leaves away
It snapped its boughs
and pulled its bark
until the Oak was tired and stark.

But still the Oak Tree held its ground
while other trees fell all around.
The weary wind gave up and spoke,
"How can you still be standing Oak?"

The Oak Tree said, I know that you
can break each branch of mine in two,
carry every leaf away
shake my limbs and make me sway.

But I have roots stretched in the earth,
growing stronger since my birth,
You'll never touch them, for you see
they are the deepest part of me.

Until today, I wasn't sure
of just how much I could endure,
But now I've found with thanks to you,
I'm stronger than I ever knew.