Tree of life, Part 2

Photo taken at night showing a tree trunk, roughly as high as the building next to it, singed at the top.

The tree that inspired this poem. Photo by Ron Dudley

They say I’m the tree of life
I got struck by lightning
Burn me to a crisp
But I’m still surviving

They thought I died with the forest rangers
The tree of life warned them from danger
But instead they followed a snake
Now death is their only mistake

They say I’m the tree of life
I created Vitamin C
The very fruit that you eat had to fall from a tree
But I don’t get no credit
They tried to kill me with electric
But I absorbed the pain
Like I absorbed the rain in a hurricane

They say I’m the tree of life
I’m like a map and an atlas
I was just drifting and my root saved a catfish
I am your direction from God
If you follow me you won’t get lost

They say I’m the tree of life
I be hanging with the mountains
I just saved a mountain from drownin’

They say I’m the tree of life
I will guide you; I will lead you
I will never ever leave you
I will save you; I will feed you
I will protect you from the sun

We know bullets burn
I will protect you from that gun
They say I’m “just a tree”
Well tell that to the planet’s creatures
Every time they talk to me
They say I’m the tree of life.


Read Tree of Life, Part 1 here.

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