URBAN FORESTS
Who speaks for us?
Trees in the city.
Crowded between sidewalks and street.
Smooth, rough, shedding, patterned
Big, small, straight, twisted, leaning
Man damaged trunks.
Weak, strong, tangled, reaching, broken branches.
Carrying a happy burden
Of leaves, needles, flowers, fruits, seeds, nuts, cones, fronds.
Urban forest , like all of us, living.
Young, old, healthy, sick
Needed, but needing man to care for us.
Give us our trees say the birds.
Our homes, food, gathering spots.
Resting, refueling migratory travelers.
Give us our trees say the children.
Swinging, climbing,
Cool shade under which to play.
Give us our trees
Strollers, shoppers, walkers, lovers say.
Dappled sunlight, green against the sky.
Give us your trees the foresters say.
You'll get reports, studies, meaningless meetings
Empty spaces not beauty; sticks not canopies.
Give us your trees developers say.
Chain saws whine and bite.
Trees disappear, left is developers blight.
Give us your trees the politicians say.
Here yesterday, gone today.
Nothing gets in our way.
Give us our trees
The people say and say and say.
And only the trees hear us.
Bob Wolff
May 2008
