A Lenten Devotion by Bette Norton
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
Isaiah 11:1
I have always loved trees from as far back as I can remember. I found beauty and strength in them. The woods were always my favorite place to be.
My mother loves trees as well. Twenty years ago my mom wrote this poem about the tree in our front yard that I grew up with. To this day the aging tree still stands strong against all odds. Her poem is published in a small book by a group of poets, “Joys and Memories Gathered!”
This is her poem:
The Tree
The aging tree in our front yard
by Margaret Sorensen
Is losing all its branches.
Its roots are tangled, we’ve been told
And it won’t last much longer.
Planted forty years ago
Tall and slender like a pole
It was awhile before
Branches spread across the yard
Shading house and lawn.
In winter all the leaves are gone
And it stands dark against the sky.
Then in Spring small buds appear
Defying lack of growth beneath
As green leaves spread above our heads
We find it easy to pretend
The aging tree has found new growth
And life will never end.
Awaken us, O God, to the mystery of new life. Amen.